LatinaLista — It’s official — the Bush Administration can’t leave the kind of Mideast legacy that they envisioned entailing where this President would be honored and thanked by people of the Mideast for bringing democracy and relieving oppression in their lands, while securing oil interests for the US.
No, this Administration is in danger of being heralded as the worst Administration in modern times on the global front. So, they must work to leave a legacy behind on home turf that will endear them to their own Party and to the vocal hardliners who dominate the media.
What better legacy to leave than to be known as the President who “got a handle on illegal immigration” by deporting thousands of people, regardless of their family circumstances. It also helps McCain seem like the Party is finally getting tough on illegal immigration too.
Undocumented immigrants in ICE custody.
However, it’s also the perfect set-up and it’s the Democrats who will pay the ultimate price.
According to a Houston Chronicle article, almost 3,700 undocumented immigrants have been arrested in raids on businesses since October — way ahead of last year’s figures.
Since May, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have already detained 1,755 people in raids.
And according to Julie Myers, head of ICE, her department will continue with this kind of dramatic enforcement operations until “the moment the Bush administration leaves office.”
As if that isn’t enough, the Administration has given its blessing to criminalize every undocumented immigrant found. Whereas before, during the old catch-and-release program, undocumented immigrants were released with only those truly committing crimes against society being incarcerated.
Today, everyone is being charged with a crime, maybe given a few days in jail and then deported.
Why?
Because when they come back across the border to see their families or look for the work that is non-existent at home, Republicans and hardliners will be the first to blame the Democratic party, if it’s in power, of letting all these criminals into the country.
They won’t be wrong. Each undocumented immigrant who has been deported previously will now be a bona fide felon in the eyes of the law — perfect scapegoats for those who want to make an example of anyone who advocates compassion or leniency for undocumented immigrants.
Homeland Security officials claim that by branding all these people as criminals it is a deterrent for them to return. For some, yes. For the vast majority who come from abject poverty, you’ve got to be kidding.
If this plan were working, then we wouldn’t be reading reports of undocumented immigrants who have already been charged and deported only to be caught returning again.
If the Democrats occupy the White House, and the Bush Administration continues full steam with this inhumane strategy, there will be no voice of reason loud enough to distinguish to the vocal critics who are the real criminals crossing the border and who are people branded as criminals but guilty of nothing more than looking for work.
The Democratic Party needs to settle on a candidate and look past November to see the kind of legacy a Democratic Congress and/or White House Administration will be caught up in.
It’s time someone took the lead in immigration reform before one Party’s legacy is another Party’s downfall.
Comment(30)
Horace
I find this amusing. You don’t like the Republicans and you’ve been forecasting their doom and now you don’t like the Democrats and now you’re forecasting their doom. I’ve got news for you, you’ve only got two parties to choose from and one is going to come out on top. This sounds like a lose-lose situation for you.
Horace
“They won’t be wrong. Each undocumented immigrant who has been deported previously will now be a bona fide felon in the eyes of the law — perfect scapegoats for those who want to make an example of anyone who advocates compassion or leniency for undocumented immigrants.”
In order to be a scapegoat one has to be innocent and be unjustly blamed for a crime, neither which describes illegal aliens who break our laws. One may have compassion for illegal aliens and still deport them. There are a billion poor in the world, yet our compassion for them does not run to giving them all visas and legal residency.
Horace
“Whereas before, during the old catch-and-release program, undocumented immigrants were released with only those truly committing crimes against society being incarcerated.”
Most broke their promise to appear and never reported for their hearings. To have continued catch and release would’ve been more of the same.
Frank
We will still continue to have immigration laws long after any possible CIR passes. Will we still be branded as racists or inhumane by the illegal alien sympathizers as illegals continue to flow over our borders years and years from now and we try to enforce our laws yet again? I would bet my bottom dollar on it! We will never be allowed to enforce our immigration laws according to the ethnocentrics in this country.
Marisa Treviño
Not at all. No party is beyond improving themselves. I only hope to spur it on 🙂
A. Nunez
What Horace and Frank fail to grasp is that a humane and sensible aspect to our present immigration policies is completely missing in hyper-enforcement-only procedures. Sure, there is illegality involved. No one is doubting or refuting that. But, likewise, no one can doubt that this particular issue is complicated, and involves families of MIXED STATUS. With regards to the charge of being ‘ethnocentrists,’ let me remind you that we are all descendants of ethnicities — Irish, Swedish, Italian, and so on. Those who make this claim have usually had the luxury of belonging to certain light-skinned ethnicities of the past and have long since BLENDED into the dominant culture as ‘passable.’
Frank
This issue is only “complicated” because the illegals failed to take into account the consequences of their actions. They are personally accountable for breaking our laws and using the “division” of families argument to stop justice from being served certainly wouldn’t hold any weight for a citizen committing a crime so why should it for them? If they get deported, they can take their family back to their homeland with them. By the way, skin color has nothing to do with it. Many Mestizos are light skinned because of their Spanish ancestors.
In the case of them producing U.S. citizens on our soil when the child becomes of age, they can choose which country they want live in. In the meantime they belong with the parents in the parent’s country.
We have to look at securing our borders and enforcing our immigration laws this time around as the 1986 amnesty was a dismal failure.
Latino citizens who are sympathetic to these illegals wouldn’t hold the same view if the majority of these illegals weren’t also Latinos. No sense in denying it.
Velia Koppenhoefer
Marisa, I laud you for having the courage to speak out about the injustices being done to those who are fighting for their survival and the lives of their children. People are missing the whole picture. They are more concerned with stopping immigration of people who are trying to feed, clothe and shelter their families rather than trying to help these people help themselves. They are more concerned with protecting a border than protecting human life. It is a shame that the moral fabric of our society has descended into this unfortunate situation.
It is this mind-set that has lead to the wrongful incarceration of children across our country and allowed them to be sentenced to die in America’s prisons. We are the only country in the world committing this human rights atrocity against our youth. My son, Efrén Paredes, Jr. has been wrongly imprisoned since the age of 15 for a crime he did not commit in the State of Michigan. He was sentenced to die in prison so that other admittedly guilty parties could go free. Efrén has been imprisoned now for over 19 years. To learn more about this please visit http://www.4Efren.com and http://Free-Efren.blogspot.com.
Speaking out against these injustices and educating society about the ways we are harming human beings is essential to reversing this vicious cycle. Human beings are not expendable. I hope one day we all reach this level of consciousness and begin putting God and our fellow human beings before politics and material things.
Frank
Unbelievable! We are the most compassionate country and take in more immigrants than any other country in the world and for this we get accused of being an immoral society now? You are aware that EVERY country in the world has immigration laws and it is to protect it’s own citizens, don’t you? Are they also immoral?
Do you realize how many billions of people trying to feed their families and improve their lot in life would come here if we didn’t have immigration laws? How many would be enough for you, 1 billion, 10 billion? Should we commit national suicide for foreigners? As I said, this is absolutely unbelievable!
By the way, if we don’t protect our borders from terrorist entry, how are all of these billions of immigrants that you want us to show compassion for and our citizens going to fare after they blow up this whole country? Unbelievable!
We cannot protect, feed and clothe the whole planet, for God’s sake! We take in as many immigrants as possible that will not adversally affect our own citizens and this country. We aren’t the sponge for the whole damn world! Unbelievable!
Evelyn
Who in the world are you arguing with. The only beef we have with you is about the immigrants already here.
Mostly those with American spouses and children, that own property and have been allowed to set down roots.
They should be given the same treatment as the European immigrants. That is justice and equality.
Frank
European immigrants came her legally within the laws of the established U.S. government at the time. Those here in this country illegally today did not! Big difference and that is why they shouldn’t be treated the same.
When the European immigrants came here, we were a vast open frontier with plenty of room for everyone and we were still in the process of building this country. Today we are a nation of 300 million people and our country has already been built. We are beyond our carrying capacity. For those who don’t know what carrying capacity is, I suggest they read http://www.susps.org.
We have had a population driven economy for the past 20-30 years. This will not be good for our country in the long run. Better to have a smaller economy to fit a smaller population.
Those in economically and politically distressed countries must learn to fight for their own countries. I would rather that the U.S. help those citizens in their own countries rather than import millions of them into ours. Some controlled legal immigration into our country is ok but uncontrolled illegal immigration by the millions is unacceptable.
Evelyn
And now the truth about how the Europeans came to America.
April 3, 2006
by Jason Miller
If she drew breath, the Statue of Liberty would drop her torch in disgust and hang her head in shame.
Inculcated with the belief that they are morally superior and endowed with an inalienable right to world domination, the members of America’s ruling White Patriarchy and their ardent supporters have an immigration problem. Too many “little Brown people” are streaming across their southern border. As America’s de facto ruling class wrangles with numerous potential solutions, they are overlooking the obvious: ask the Native Americans what to do. After all, those who forged the American Empire nearly drove the indigenous people of North America to extinction. At the very least, the relatively few survivors of the Native American genocide could help their White “superiors” put their comparatively minute problem into perspective by reminding them that things could be much worse.
While the Western European invaders simply murdered and displaced hundreds of thousands of Native Americans, the “marauders” from Mexico (and the rest of Latin America) are committing such heinous acts as working hard, exercising a devotion to family, and living decent, honest lives. Wearing their psychological chains with pride, those who truly believe in the myth of the superiority of the White-dominated American Empire provide unflinching support for a government of criminals, murderers, and state terrorists as they seek to rid themselves of the “dirty, lazy” Latinos. While some are not even conscious of their racism or allegiance to evil, they are just as culpable as those who are.
Driven by unbridled consumerism, “patriotic” support of a militaristic regime (which is drenched in the blood of millions of murdered civilians), narcissism, self-absorption, xenophobia, racism, and an insatiable demand for the exploitation of the rest of the planet to keep them comfortable, the American Empire’s loyalists are demanding an end to the “Southern Invasion”. Sadly, hubris, insularity, bigotry, the endorsement of murder and torture, and unsurpassed greed are the hallmarks of a nation which purports to be a bastion of freedom, justice, human rights, and equality. Trudging through a blinding blizzard of facts which expose the United States as a ruthless empire, the purveyors of the American Myth doggedly indoctrinate their minions with a relentless argumentum ad nauseam, convincing many that the United States is a benevolent beacon of hope for humanity.
Frank
It isn’t about “brown” people per se. It is about illegal immigration of which 70% “brown” people comprise. How easy to throw out the race card while totally ignoring that this is about “illegal” immigration.
Anglo-White people are only dominant in the U.S. and Canada on the Western Hemisphere. Latinos are dominant in 22 countries on the Western Hemisphere. Just how much dominance to Latinos need?
Why is that only Anglo-Whites are perceived as committing genocide on the “indigenous” while the White Spaniard’s role in this is ignored or played down (the Mestizo’s ancestors).
Another thing, most White Americans alive today ancestors played no role in any indian genocide. They came here well after that. Should we chastize an entire race for the sins of a few? How about the ancestors of the “indigenous” such as the Aztecs? Should we hate all those of Aztec ancestry for the sins of the past? Or should we hate all those of Spanish ancestry for what their ancestors did?
Jason Miller is a rabid Socialist America-hater. He despises this country and it’s system and admits he is doing everything he can to destroy it.
http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2007/11/15/mentes-peligrosas-confession-of-an-american-thought-criminal-by-jason-miller/
Pay special attention to Item #4 where he launches into this anti-Israel screed (like most Socialists do) and he basically says, “hey, it was tough luck that a genocide was committed against the Jews, but genocides have occurred all througout history.” So, gee, Jason what’s the big deal about the genocide against the Native Americans–I mean since they’ve occurred all throughout history against many different peoples and BY many different peoples. What a hypocrite!
Horace
Rant all you want, Evelyn, but few Americans are buying your hate filled crap. How many of the rest of you feel as Evelyn does? Speak up. Miller ignores all the good things about America. We know better. You and your friend Miller can go pound sand for all we care. Or better yet, anyone who’d loathe this country so much should leave for better parts, if you can find them.
Horace
How about this, Evelyn:
Janet MurguÃa: Multiple Amnesty Failures Have Unglued Her—Will She Lose Her Job, Too?
By Joe Guzzardi
In my April column about the then-looming illegal alien May Day marches, I wrote that the other side had suffered such a series of staggering defeats that some of its leaders are becoming visibly unglued and appear on the verge of a total stress-induced mental collapse.
The abject, utter failure of this year’s May Day events—a more complete bomb than even I dared to imagine—cannot have helped them regain their balance.
One of the most visibly shaken: La Raza’s Janet MurguÃa who, with the cameras rolling on three recent occasions, demonstrated an increasingly distanced position from reality.
MurguÃa’s demeanor indicated that she’s teetering on the edge.
Analyzed in reverse order, the high-visibility events were:
Murguia’s April 16 speech to the National Press Club.
Fascinating for a host of reasons, MurguÃa’s speech counted on the gullibility of her MainStream Media audience to get away with her outrageously absurd remarks.
Among them were, if you can believe it, MurguÃa’s accusatory tongue-lashings of the liberal press for misrepresenting and under-reporting the so-called merits of illegal immigration.
MurguÃa made multiple references to how “vigilantes” and “hate groups” “demonize” and “dehumanize” what she referred to as “immigrants.”
She cited, without any sources or statistical references, that “…hate crimes against Latinos are up 35 percent over four years….” And naturally, she touted the “Latino vote” for its power to determine the outcome of all future elections.
Then came her corker.
Whining about how “personal” the perfectly appropriate national immigration debate is, MurguÃa reached deep into her sob story bag of tricks for this one:
“When your 10 year-old nephew who was born in Kansas is told by a schoolmate, ‘Mexicans are stupid, and I think you should go back to Mexico.’”[Full Text]
Was MurguÃa suggesting that federal immigration policy should be established based on what one fourth-grader in Kansas allegedly said to another?
If that’s not crazy, what is?
Here’s an interesting observation on MurguÃa’s speech. She never once mentioned La Raza instead referring to her employer as “NCLR”.
I take that as a solid indication that MurguÃa knows that even in the most liberal circles, “La Raza” rubs people the wrong way.
(Read and watch Murguia’s speech here.)
La Raza’s March 4th 2008 Capital Awards Gala.
MurguÃa opened this dinner ceremony with an attempted joke about Lou Dobbs that did not generate so much as a chuckle from the all-Hispanic crowd.
Said MurguÃa to open the evening: “Lou Dobbs sends his regrets. He’s home looking at our website so he can get it right.”
What the audience didn’t find funny is that Dobbs—as well as other patriotic immigration reform organizations and websites like VDARE.COM—have enjoyed a much better 2008 (as well as 2007, 2006 and 2005) than either MurguÃa or La Raza.
MurguÃa hasn’t learned that if and when you grind your opponents into dust, then you’ve earned the right to make them the object of your ridicule, assuming that’s your style.
But when the reverse is true and you’re the one who year after year has his pants beaten off, the best course of action is to remain silent.
Then MurguÃa droned on about how La Raza, during its forty years as “America’s leading civil rights organization for Hispanics,” has watched its “…tree of ideas and influence grow taller and stronger…”
Again, the reality is quite different.
La Raza’s “influence” has dramatically diminished during the last several years.
Just look at this year’s three La Raza Capital Award “honorees,” two Treason Lobby U.S. Representatives, California’s Hilda Solis and Florida’s Lincoln Diaz-Balart, and the cravenly anti-American Univision Spanish-language television channel.
Time was, when La Raza’s influence was waxing, its award recipients included Representatives Chris Cannon, John Boehner and Senators Tom Harkin, Lindsey Graham and Olympia Snowe.
But now, given America’s public outcry over La Raza endorsements, and the fact that receiving its awards may eventually cost Cannon and Graham their jobs, astute non-Hispanic U.S. elected officials politely decline such “honors” (Are you listening John McCain?)
(See MurguÃa’s speech here starting at 0:58. A constructive criticism aside to MurguÃa: a bright salmon pink, sleeveless dress with a plunging neckline does not become you.)
MurguÃa on Lou Dobbs Tonight, February 4, 2008
Memorable for a host of reasons, including her continuous references to “hate speech and its consequences,” MurguÃa’s appearance here offered many critically important insights into our side’s strong position.
The following exchange is the most significant:
MurguÃa: “We are meeting—I already have a meeting with CNN worldwide president…”
Dobbs: “Jim Walton.”
MurguÃa: “… Mr. Jim Walton…”
Dobbs: “Right.”
MurguÃa: “… to talk to him about this.”
Dobbs: “He’s a good man to start with.”
MurguÃa: “Well, we’re going to hold you accountable. We’re going to hold the other networks accountable.”
Dobbs: “And what are you going to do?”
MurguÃa: “We’re going to ask them to remove these kinds of representatives…”
Dobbs: “So you want me—you want me fired?”
MurguÃa: “Not you. I said these representatives, who are tied to vigilante and hate groups, as documented by the ADL or by the Southern Poverty Law Center. They have no place on the airwaves.” (Complete transcript here.)
In fact, of course, MurguÃa would love to get Dobbs fired—if only she held the hammer.
But she doesn’t.
What’s crucial and what proves just how little influence MurguÃa has is that her meeting with Walton was scheduled for February 21st. And, to no rational person’s surprise, Dobbs is still on the air.
Furthermore, Dobbs has added a three-hour daily radio show.
And, in what must be a bitter pill for MurguÃa to swallow, Fox News, as reported by James Fulford, refuses to meet with her.
MurguÃa has serious credibility problems that should put her own position as La Raza’s president and Chief Executive Officer is deep peril.
Appointed with major fanfare in January 2005 to replace Raul Yzaguirre, MurguÃa came to La Raza with big time credentials.
After receiving three degrees from Kansas University—a B.S. degree in journalism (1982), a B.A. degree in Spanish (1982), and a J.D. degree (1985) from the School of Law—MurguÃa worked for seven years in Washington, DC as legislative counsel to former Kansas Congressman Jim Slattery.
Then MurguÃa worked at the White House from 1994 to 2000, ultimately serving as deputy assistant to President Clinton. Finally, MurguÃa was appointed as deputy campaign manager and director of constituency outreach for the Al Gore/Joe Lieberman presidential campaign.
No wonder La Raza gobbled MurguÃa up.
An insider! MurguÃa knows the players! She can deliver an amnesty!
Wrong! Wrong! And wrong!
After more than three plus years as La Raza’s chief, MurguÃa has not moved its agenda forward one millimeter.
Worse, during MurguÃa’s watch, the amnesty effort has moved significantly backward.
When you realize that because MurguÃa did work at the White House and does know the players, she should have an insurmountable advantage—something akin to a football team that starts every drive on its opponent’s ten-yard line—in winning her “personal” battle.
But that’s not what happened. MurguÃa has been soundly beaten at every turn. So it’s little wonder that she’s increasingly shrill.
In the private sector, Murguia’s repeated and very public failures would get her fired.
As fully warranted as Murguia’s dismissal would be, based on her inability to deliver the coveted “comprehensive immigration reform” goodies, if La Raza were to can her it would be yet another open admission of its ineptitude.
So, because La Raza has had plenty of failures lately and doesn’t need to admit to another, Murguia’s job is probably safe—for now.
Evelyn
Those who hate Americans of all colors are the ones who will have to return to obscurity again. I will not be going anywhere, unless ‘I’, want to!
From a bio on Joe Guzzardi.
Guzzardi has written editorial columns – mostly about immigration and related social issues-since 1990. The columns currently appear in the nationally read webzine http://www.VDARE.com; the California-based webzine http://www.CalNews.com and the San Joaquin Valley’s daily newspaper, the Lodi News-Sentinel. His column is frequently syndicated in other US newspapers and websites.
This guy, the author of the article you posted is a bonafide racist. I rest my case! Many of his racist rants are incorrect. Look them up if you dont believe me.
No wonder Lou Lies only mentions immigrants and hispanics in a small segment of his show. CNN must have SHUT HIM UP! Good it was time. He has certainly toned down the rhetoric, just like Janet told him she was going to make him. Ha! Ha!
Frank
I know of very few Americans who hate anyone of “color.” This is just a claim by the pro-illegals about those of us who want our immigration laws enforced. How low are the pro-illegals going to stoop to try to achieve their agenda?
Lou Dobb’s usually mentions illegal aliens on his show not IMMIGRANTS. Illegal aliens are not just Hispanics and he doesn’t claim that they are.
Someone please provide “proof” that anyone has had the power to tone down Lou Dobbs on his show or forever look the lying fool.
Frank
Why would any American want to squelch freedom of speech in this country? It is a matter of opinion what is hate speech and what is not.
You don’t see any anti trying to squelch freedom of speech on the pro side. That is because we have the laws on our side and we use common sense and logic backed up by the facts. The pro side does not and that is why they feel the need to supress the truth. And they call us Nazi’s? LOL!
Evelyn
All you have to do is watch his show. Why else would he tone it down? CAUSE HE WAS TOLD TO dah. Now who is a FOOL?
Frank
I watched Dobbs yesterday. He brought up illegal immigration at least 4 times in one hour. Yeah, he is really being silenced, lol!
Horace
Frank, attempts to silence Lou have been in the works for several years and they’ve all been unsuccessful. No doubt mortifyingly (to ethnocentrists), they’ve even given Lou a daily radio show as a reward for his TV success. Boycotts of CNN have come and gone without an iota of success, and Lou has remained one of their most popular money makers. So-called Latino leaders have much up and down the halls of CNN headquarters and made all kind of threats and gone away in a huff. TV ratings show Lou is even more popular than ever. The most recent boycott will fail humiliatingly, just as have all the others. Take my advice boycotters, stop trying, it only makes you look more pathetic with each attempt.
Ethnocentrist Evelyn is in denial, having deluded herself into believing that she’s noted a change in order to feel better in the face of abject failure. In reality, there’s been no change in the level of anti-illegal immigrant rhetoric at all. It should be admitted that during the primaries there was a lull, but that’s understandable, as the focus was on the presidential race.
It’s so frustrating not having things go your way, isn’t it Evelyn?
Evelyn
Only 4 times, good. He used to dedicate the whole hour to lying about immigrants.
Frank
NOPE! That is a flat out lie. Dobbs has never dedicated the entire hour of his show talking about illegal aliens. He talks about many other issue. Always has!
Horace
Frank, its all in Evelyn’s et al, minds. Dobbs is so successful in making points on illegal immigration that 4 minutes sound like an hour to people like Evelyn and her illegal alien advocate friends. Lou is the scapegoat for IA supporters in their miserable failures to gain any measurable support. Kill Lou’s program and it will all be ok. Sure it will. If Lou catches a cold they’ll be praying for pneumonia.
Evelyn
What are you talking about Horace? Miserable failure is that with all the lies and all the flags you have wrapped around yourself and all the phone call to Congress. All the marches, all the harassment of hard working people who happen to be Hispanic.
All the geriatric idiots playing army at the border. The only thing you have accomplished is that a few thousand desirable (maybe 3 thousand) immigrants have been deported. THAT IS A MISERABLE FAILURE! Ha! Ha! Ha! ROTFLMAO! The majority of the Immigrants are still here and they are still coming!!!
Frank
They aren’t “immigrants” that are being deported. This is only the beginning of the push to rid our country of illegal aliens. As more and more states pass legislation to do just that, they will have no where to run and hide.
The key is to make our employers accountable by mandating the e-verify system and mandating they handle the no-match SS number letters sent to them by our govenment. Yes, the key is workplace enforcement and at the state levels. It is working and will continue to accelerate.
Evelyn
Call them whatever you want. They are still here and for all you have done, THAT is a miserable failure!
Frank
LOL! The raids are occuring more and more frequently and the illegals are being deported. The increased enforcement at our borders and the raids themself are encouraging less and less of them to try and enter our country illegally. Americans are fed up and all attempts to pass any CIR have failed and will continue to fail. We will have the last laugh, traitors!
Horace
” The only thing you have accomplished is that a few thousand desirable (maybe 3 thousand) immigrants have been deported.’
Maybe 3,000, Evelyn? Multiply that by 10 and then some. Actually, Evelyn, over 38,000 illegal aliens have been deported over the last 8 months.
See: http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/16579457/detail.html?rss=elp&psp=news
ICE: 38,000 Arrested After Re-Entering U.S. Illegally
ICE agents reported over the last eight months, they have arrested more than 38,000 illegal immigrants for re-entering the U.S., after they were deported back to their home countries.
That is more than double the number of such cases in all of last year.
Immigration investigators said a key reason for the dramatic increase is because of “Operation Repeat Offender, ” which targets criminal aliens and immigration fugitives for further prosecution.
Evelyn
The only thing you have accomplished is that a few thousand desirable (maybe 3 thousand) immigrants have been deported.
You missed the point I said ‘desirable’ those who would have qualified to stay and be put on a path to citizenship.
Good riddance to the criminals and gang bangers. They can feed those to the sharks for all I care.
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