Tag Archives: mark caserta

Mark Caserta: Many Americans are literally giving our country away. Are you one of them?

30 Jul

Mark Caserta has been an opinion columnist for 26 years and was candidate for WV House of Delegates in Wayne County in 2026

Many Americans—including many Christians—are literally giving their country away.

Get angry with me if you want, but don’t complain about what you permit to happen.

Voter apathy is killing our nation.

According to multiple sources, only about 75 percent of Christians are registered to vote. Remember, your vote is your voice.

Of those Christians who are registered, only an estimated 75 percent actually vote. That means, roughly speaking, only a little over 56 percent of those who identify as Christians cast a ballot. Turnout among the rest of the eligible voting population is even lower, which is equally troubling.

And that’s during a presidential election year. In off-year elections, voter participation drops even further.

Nearly every day, I talk with people who tell me they are sick of politics and have lost faith that their vote makes any difference.

Politicians bear a great deal of responsibility for that.

In a constitutional republic, elected officials work for the people. They are hired by the voters for one purpose: to represent their constituents.

Too many politicians have forgotten that. They say what they need to say to get elected, then spend their time advancing their own ideological agenda or that of their party’s leadership instead of faithfully representing the people who sent them to office.

So, how do we begin to change this?

I believe it starts with three simple steps:

1. Politicians must return to the foundational principle of our republic: represent the people who elected you—even when their views do not align perfectly with your own.

2. Congress should act to strengthen election integrity, including measures such as the SAVE Act, which supporters say would ensure that only American citizens vote in federal elections.

3. Every eligible voter—including every Christian—must study the candidates, make an informed decision, and vote.

Just as important, if your elected representative fails to do the job, fire them at the next election.

These ideas are not complicated. In fact, our Founding Fathers intentionally designed our system to be this straightforward.

I still believe there is hope for America.

But hope alone has never changed a nation.

Action does.

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Mark Caserta: Unwarranted government surveillance under the guise of protection is only the beginning.

20 Jul

History records the progressive movement will use this foothold to advance their agenda!

My entire adult life, I have observed, studied, and written about the progressive movement. What began as a movement that many viewed as advancing society has, over time, evolved into an effort to transform society itself.

In 1973, the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade recognized a constitutional right to abortion while also acknowledging limits intended to protect the health of the pregnant woman and what the Court described as “potential life.” Under the Court’s original framework, abortions after viability could generally be prohibited, except when necessary to protect the life or health of the mother.

Over the years, however, the national debate expanded dramatically. Controversial procedures, including what became known as “partial-birth abortion,” and even “live-birth abortions were performed, heinously murdering an innocent life.  The original decision was the catalyst for disaster.

The cultural shift did not stop there.

In the 1970s, network television was vastly different from what we see today. Sexual content was limited. Profanity was heavily restricted. Violence, while present, was generally restrained. Families could sit down together during prime time with a reasonable expectation that the programming would be suitable for everyone.

Today, I don’t need to describe how different things have become. What is now considered mainstream entertainment would have been unthinkable on network television in that era.

Likewise, legal and social debates surrounding LGBTQ issues have continued to evolve over the decades. Questions involving marriage, employment protections, military service, and gender identity have all developed on different timelines.

Today, we have biological males competing in women’s sports and having access to women’s locker rooms—issues that would have seemed unimaginable to many Americans just a generation ago.

The same pattern is emerging in another area that should concern every citizen: government surveillance.

The Fourth Amendment has protected Americans against unreasonable searches and seizures since 1791. Yet today, many progressives casually support warrantless camera systems, such as Flock cameras, that record and track the movements of law-abiding citizens without individualized suspicion.

Some argue that this type of surveillance is not specifically prohibited by the Fourth Amendment. But the Framers anticipated that future generations might attempt to narrow the people’s liberties by exploiting technicalities. That is precisely why they included the Ninth Amendment.

The Ninth Amendment makes clear that just because a right is not specifically listed in the Constitution does not mean the people do not possess that right. It was intended to prevent the federal government from claiming authority over every aspect of our lives simply because a particular liberty was not expressly enumerated.

This is how progressivism often advances. Change rarely comes all at once. It begins with policies that appear modest, reasonable, or even beneficial. Then the boundaries continue to move. What was once described as an exception becomes the norm. What was once considered unacceptable gradually becomes expected.

It’s the desensitization of Americans.

The objective is not merely to reform society but to redefine it.

There comes a point when every generation must decide whether it will preserve the principles it inherited or surrender them one compromise at a time.

For me, that decision is clear.

It is time to exercise common sense. It is time to stand for the enduring principles found in the Holy Bible and the Constitution of the United States. If we fail to defend them today, we should not be surprised to find that future generations no longer enjoy the freedoms we inherited.

How to Fight Deployment of Flock and Other Mass Surveillance License Plate Readers in Your Community | American Civil Liberties Union

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Mark Caserta: The Price of Freedom

18 Jul

“Today, the threats to liberty may not come in the form of muskets and cannon fire. More often they arrive quietly—through complacency, the steady erosion of constitutional freedoms, or the willingness to trade liberty for convenience, security, or political expediency. Who are we to casually relinquish our freedoms brave men and women have died to protect?“

Young George Washington was suddenly awakened by the deafening roar of muskets and cannon fire. He had been unconscious, suffering from a severe case of dysentery, but the thunder of battle gave him the strength to rise and discover what was happening around him.

Having failed in his first military command against the French and their Native American allies, Washington had resigned his commission. Yet when the call came again, he volunteered to serve in any capacity he could, determined to do his part in defending the future of the New World.

Amid the thick powder smoke and chaos of battle, Washington mounted his horse to assess the situation.

“The battle is lost,” he was warned. “Turn back, Washington. Save yourself. It isn’t worth the risk.”

But George Washington knew his fellow soldiers were trapped on the front lines. He refused to abandon them. Instead, he spurred his horse toward the fiercest fighting, determined to lead from the front rather than seek safety in the rear.

History records that George Washington was remarkably protected that day. As bullets ripped through the air around him, he rode fearlessly across the battlefield, rallying frightened soldiers and helping as many as possible escape certain death. Though General Braddock’s army had been overwhelmed and the battle was ultimately lost, Washington’s courage prevented an even greater catastrophe.

With General Braddock mortally wounded and panic spreading through the ranks, Washington organized the retreat, encouraged his exhausted troops, and directed them to use the cover of the trees rather than continue fighting in the open. His calm leadership amid chaos saved countless lives and transformed what could have been a complete annihilation into an orderly withdrawal.

By the end of the battle, hundreds of brave men had sacrificed their lives at the Battle of the Monongahela, also known as Braddock’s Defeat. Yet George Washington emerged from the battlefield untouched, despite having two horses shot from beneath him and multiple bullet holes through his coat.

Many who witnessed the battle believed Divine Providence had preserved his life for a greater purpose—a purpose that would eventually lead him to command the Continental Army, guide a fledgling nation to independence, and become the first President of the United States.

Freedom has never been free. It never has been, and it never will be.

Our nation’s liberty was purchased with the courage, sacrifice, and blood of men and women who believed there were principles worth dying for. They understood that freedom is never guaranteed. It survives only when ordinary people are willing to stand against extraordinary odds.

George Washington could have turned his horse and ridden to safety. Instead, he rode into the battle.

That decision did more than save lives. It revealed the character of a man who would later lead a revolution and help establish the greatest experiment in self-government the world has ever known.

Today, the threats to liberty may not come in the form of muskets and cannon fire. More often they arrive quietly—through complacency, the steady erosion of constitutional freedoms, or the willingness to trade liberty for convenience, security, or political expediency.

Every generation is called to defend freedom. Ours is no different. Who are we to casually relinquish our freedoms brave men and women have died to protect?

The question is not whether freedom will require sacrifice.

The question is whether we will have the courage to pay its price.

But even a pawn can take the King.

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Mark Caserta: Democrat policies have heightened the appetite for Socialism/Communism

26 Jun

I remember a time when socialist-leaning politicians tried to hide their Marxist tendencies for fear of public rejection. Today, many are openly campaigning on those ideas — and in some places, they are winning.

How did this happen?

How could a nation that became the most economically powerful and prosperous country on earth through capitalism now have a growing segment of voters openly embracing socialism and even communism?

Here is what happened — and far too few people are willing to say it.

The chickens have come home to roost for the Democrat Party.

For decades, far-left Democrats have worked to build voting blocs, not by inspiring independence, opportunity, and achievement, but by creating dependency, division, and grievance. Rather than earning votes through policies that strengthen families, create jobs, and restore hope, they have too often attempted to purchase loyalty through government control and political promises.

They have appealed to women through abortion politics and cultural movements. They have sought the LGBTQ vote by elevating identity politics above common sense. They have fanned the flames of racial resentment while claiming to represent the very communities their policies have failed for generations. They have expanded a nanny-state that weakens industry, eliminates good-paying jobs, and leaves too many families dependent on the very government that helped create their struggle.

They have also opened the door to millions entering this country illegally under the banner of compassion, while offering free housing, healthcare, benefits, and services that many hardworking American citizens can barely afford.

This did not happen by accident.

The far-left ideology of today’s Democrat Party has helped create a voter base that has not fully experienced the promise and discipline of true capitalism. Too many have not been encouraged to work, build, fail, learn, grow, and achieve the American Dream. Instead, they have been told that government is the source of success.

They were told, “You didn’t build that.”

Government did.

Now that culture has come to full fruition in many blue states and cities. People look around and see decline, chaos, poverty, crime, broken families, and a growing lack of hope. And sadly, many of the people voting for socialist Democrats are not bad people. Many are simply trying to survive in the very system they were handed.

When hope disappears, people become willing to try almost anything — even failed ideas that history has warned us about again and again.

Winston Churchill is often credited with saying:

“Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy; its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.”

Whether one studies history, economics, or human nature, the lesson is clear: socialism does not lift people into prosperity. It spreads dependency, envy, and misery.

The failures of the Democrat Party have helped give birth to the very appetite for socialism they now pretend is compassion. Their policies have not produced strength. They have produced dependency. They have not produced unity. They have produced division. They have not produced hope. They have produced desperation.

I believe this movement will continue to grow unless it is confronted not merely with words, but with results. People do not just need speeches. They need jobs. They need safe communities. They need strong families. They need opportunity. They need leaders who are more interested in restoring hope than preserving political power.

Make no mistake: the appetite for socialism and communism in America did not appear overnight. It was cultivated through decades of failed policies, broken promises, and political dependency.

As this ideology spreads, I believe we will see the socio-economic gap grow even wider between states and cities that embrace freedom and those that embrace government control.

Perhaps it will take a massive failure — a real-time history lesson — for some voters to understand why America became the greatest nation on earth in the first place.

But I pray it does not come to that.

May God bless and protect this nation along the journey.

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Mark Caserta: Millions of Americans relinquish their children’s future to total strangers.

18 Apr

I would never want to be asked by one of my grandchildren, “Papaw, why didn’t you vote?”

Millions of Americans have become so frustrated with politics that they simply refuse to vote. That doesn’t make them bad people—they’re just fed up. Many have resigned themselves to sitting on the sidelines, letting the chips fall where they may, adopting a “whatever will be, will be” attitude.

But if our Founding Fathers had taken that same approach, where would we be today?

That kind of indifference diminishes the sacrifice of the brave men and women who gave their lives to secure your right to vote—your right to express your faith, your conscience, and your beliefs in this Republic.

This dereliction of duty—and that’s exactly what it is—has been enabled by something dangerous: taking for granted the freedoms we enjoy in what is still the greatest nation on earth.

Consider this:

In countries like Afghanistan, voters risk terrorist attacks as they walk miles across dangerous terrain just to cast a ballot. The purple ink on their fingers marks them not only as voters—but as targets. And still, they show up.

In the remote regions of India, voters travel for hours—even days—through mountains and rural terrain. Election workers hike, cross rivers, and even use elephants to ensure every voice is heard. In fact, India has been known to set up polling stations for a single voter.

In Nigeria, citizens face threats from terrorist groups like Boko Haram. They stand in long lines under intense heat, often amid violence and disruption—yet turnout remains strong.

The list goes on.

Despite danger, hardship, and sacrifice, these people vote—because they understand something we too often forget: voting is their voice.

When you refuse to vote, you are placing your children’s future—and their children’s future—into the hands of others who may not share your values or priorities.

When you refuse to vote, you dismiss over 250 years of sacrifice made by those who fought and died to preserve your freedom.

When you refuse to vote, you surrender the direction of this nation—and your family’s future—to the loudest voices in the room.

History reminds us where that can lead. The loudest voices once cried out in Pilate’s court, choosing Barabbas over Jesus.

Consider this sobering reality: less than 75% of Christians in America are even registered to vote, and nearly half of those who are registered do not vote at all. That means tens of millions of Christians are completely absent from the process.

Forgive me, but that is unacceptable.

We have a responsibility to advance the future, protect the opportunities, and safeguard the freedoms of those who come after us—just as those before us did for us.

Scripture tells us that when we know to do good and fail to do it, for us, it is sin.

What clearer good can there be than standing up for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?

If you don’t typically vote, change that—now.

I would never want to be asked by one of my grandchildren, “Papaw, why didn’t you vote?”

The thought of that breaks my heart.

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Mark Caserta: President Trump shows leadership with attack on Iranian military capability; not only for U.S. but for Israel.

1 Mar

And he was well within his power as commander-in-chief to do so.

Let’s cut through the emotional responses from those more focused on President Trump’s shortcomings versus his successes, which is unfortunate. Despite presidents and legislators espousing for decades that Iran must not become a nuclear power and that we must protect our ally, Israel, President Trump showed leadership in making it happen.

And while the Iranian people celebrate, Democrat politicians choose, once again, to posture politically against Donald Trump rather than be intellectually honest regarding his brave initiative. Some even choose to refer to our military successes as “failures”.

They obviously have a different definition of winning for Americans.

Let’s look at it in it’s true light.

Situation: 

  • Iran openly states “death to America” and “death to Israel”
  • U.S.  State Department named Iran as the “top” state sponsor of terrorism in the world.
  • Since Oct 17, 2023, Iran-backed militias carried out more than 200 attacks on U.S. (and allied) targets in Iraq and Syria (CFR summary)
  • The first round of negotiations with Iran attempting to stop nuclear proliferation began April 12, 2025.  They consistently failed.
  • Iran insists on becoming a nuclear power and would surely use nuclear warheads without discretion.
  • Iran has recently murdered thousands of its own people because they demonstrated against the regime.

Article II, Section 2 — Commander-in-Chief Clause

This is the key provision:

“The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States…”

This gives the President operational control of the military. From this, flows the authority to:

  • Direct military forces
  • Respond to attacks
  • Defend the nation from imminent threats
  • Constitutional scholars generally agree:
  • If credible intelligence shows an imminent attack, the President has authority under Article II to act defensively without waiting for Congress to formally declare war.
  • Factor 1: Long-term or sustained military campaigns typically require congressional authorization.  This conflict is currently 2 days.
  • Factor 2: Congress currently has less than a 17% approval rating per the Gallup Organization.
  • Factor 3: Approximately 49 percent of Congress are Democrat and have displayed time and again the willingness to sacrifice America’s safety simply to see President Trump fail.
  • Factor 4: It makes no sense to wait to an initial strike from Iran.  That’s the same as waiting for a mass murderer compiling guns and ammunition, to take the first shot.
  • Factor 5:  For decades, presidents and legislators, alike, have agreed Iran must not obtain nuclear capabilities and that the U.S. must support Israel.

Bottom line:  Given President Trump’s access to intelligence and the aforementioned information, we must fully support his decision to move without authorization from a congressional body comprised of a large portion unable to separate hatred and ideology from representation of their constituents.

I trust this president based on his record of putting America first – period.

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Mark Caserta: Political Bickering, False Narratives, and the Cost to Minnesota

30 Jan

Whose interest is being served in Minneapolis?

Political bantering today is replete with false narratives and froward assumptions. When truth is absent from an argument, the only way to sustain it is to begin with a completely false supposition.

Such is increasingly the case with progressive leadership in Minnesota.

I frequently hear talking points—and see protest signs—declaring, “I support the people of Minnesota.” While this sounds noble, it collapses under even minimal scrutiny.

Does allowing illegal immigrants to remain in the city—while straining healthcare systems, overwhelming schools, and compromising public safety—truly improve the lives of Minnesotans?

Based on reporting from numerous sources, many of the protestors are neither residents of the city nor the state. Others appear to be paid antagonists, deployed to inflame tensions, disrupt civic order, and manufacture chaos. Meanwhile, local businesses suffer, schools are disrupted, and respect for the rule of law erodes. One must ask: how does any of this benefit Minneapolis?

Ironically, these same protestors decry the presence of law enforcement, while leadership’s refusal to cooperate with federal agencies—such as ICE and Customs and Border Protection—forces law enforcement into unnecessarily complex and dangerous operations. Instead of a single coordinated arrest, officers must deploy multiple layers of personnel: one team to locate and apprehend the individual, another to secure the scene, and still others to manage potential unrest.

This escalation is not only inefficient—it is avoidable.

If local leadership cooperated with federal authorities, individuals already in custody could be transferred cleanly and quietly. Fewer officers. Less disruption. Lower risk to the community. Fundamental common sense is missing from this approach.

Worse still, some leaders appear to welcome the chaos, perhaps as a convenient distraction from the billions of dollars lost through massive fraud at the city and state level. While attention is diverted, the lives and futures of Minnesotans are diminished by the very officials elected to protect them.

Three Steps Forward

In my humble opinion, three immediate actions are necessary:

  • Identify and shut down the financial sources funding faux protest movements. Once the money dries up, many of these “activists” will promptly head back to their basements.
  • Direct local law enforcement to cooperate fully with federal authorities. This would allow Border Czar Tom Homan to reduce the federal presence and ease tensions across affected communities.
  • Hold all lawbreakers accountable—without exception. This includes officials at every level of authority, up to and including the Governor, Attorney General, and Mayor.
  • Restore order, complete the mission, and exit swiftly.

Final Thought

It is everyone’s hope that lessons are learned, criminals are held to account, and other cities take note of the damage that results when leaders ignore the law and encourage protests that exceed constitutional boundaries.

Where there is no law, nothing good follows.

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Mark Caserta: Federal Law Enforcement working only to resolve Democrat open border policy.

27 Jan

I’ve written commentary for 25 years, long enough to realize I can’t change many minds over any emotional issue.

But let’s be clear in analyzing the situation.

The only reason ice agents and border patrol agents’ presence in our cities is heightened at this time is because liberal Democrat politicians have opened our borders to millions of illegal, unvetted individuals – period.

These illegals take refuge, largely, in sanctuary cities where their needs are provided at the expense of the taxpayer.

Some of these individuals entered the United States because they are criminals and have, sadly, continued their criminal activity in the cities.

Notably, many of these individuals did not come into this country to commit crimes, but committed a crime by coming into our country illegally.

When sanctuary city leadership does not comply with federal law-enforcement, it is very difficult to identify the hardened criminals from the ones who simply did not follow our immigration laws.

This situation forces ice agents to have to scour communities looking for and vetting criminals, which can be unsettling.

Our law-enforcement agents are not here to foment violence, quite the opposite. They are here to protect our citizens and enforce our laws.

Sadly, sanctuary city leaders are emboldening, and often paying protesters to insight violence and obstruct this process.

Even sadder, is the fact that some of these individuals want to incite a shooting so it can be captured on a cell phone and used to build an illegitimate argument against law-enforcement.

We are a nation of laws made by our elected officials. These officers cannot pick and choose which laws to enforce. They are here to serve and protect.

And they deserve protection in the process.

Let’s bring the heat and the rhetoric down. Let’s dispense with the conspiracy theories and allow our law enforcement agents to do their jobs.

These very law-enforcement people whom some would denigrate, are the first people they would call in case of an emergency.

Finally, this is not a move by the federal government to create a police state and move toward a monarchy.

This is simply an effort to remove people who are here illegally, with the primary focus on the criminal component.

Working with law enforcement will bring down the emotion and enable the process to be looked at through a much clearer lense.

Working against law enforcement who are simply enforcing the law, set in place by the people we elected, will only prolong the current state.

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Mark Caserta: Divided, we lose. It’s that simple.

17 Jan
Mark Caserta is a candidate for West Virginia House of Delegates 28th District- Wayne County

Fact: 76 million people, 312 Electoral college votes, 7 swing states and 90 percent of all counties voted, in part, for Donald Trump to end open borders and protect our nation’s sovereignty.

We were dying as a nation. Illegal immigration was slowly overtaking our country with an estimated 20 million unvetted illegals pouring into our country during the Biden administration.

Every single state, every single race and ethnicity moved toward the right and voted for common sense in stopping this insanity. They were tired of woke, failing policies that were causing America to fail on many levels to include healthcare, education, jobs and the rule of law.

Also understand, we are a nation of immigrants – LEGAL immigrants. If anyone comes to our country illegally, they have committed a crime – period. The argument that conservatives are against immigration is inaccurate and often leveraged with intellectual dishonesty.

One must understand congress makes the laws that protect our nation. These laws include immigration laws. Law enforcement agents do not get to pick and choose which laws to uphold. Their job is simply to enforce them.

If you truly love America, stop fighting and work together to make a positive difference rather than create more division. If we plan to have a viable future for our children, we must be united.

Leaders who compare law enforcement agents to Nazis or challenge their authority are emboldening protesters to risk their lives.

Where was this anger and dissension when innocent victims like Laken Riley, Rachael Morin and Jocelyn Nungaray were brutally raped and murdered by illegal immigrants? Have you researched the brutality of these murders?

Why do we make the choice to fight more for the criminals than we do for the victims? Is that really who we are? Is that the rule of law we want for our children?

There are evil forces at work here attempting to divide our people. We MUST choose NOT to allow that to happen.

Good choices are never made out of emotion. Good choices are made with wisdom, temperence and prayer.

Let’s do the exact opposite of what the enemy would have us do.

It’s a great time to remember the civil discourse Charlie Kirk modeled for us.

Let’s be Charlie Kirk

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Pastor Mike Lewis: Opioids: Weapons of mass destruction – Battle begins at the border.

15 Jan
Mike Lewis is a pastor and businessman who travels the world serving others

Opioid addiction destroyed an entire generation of sons, daughters, parents & families. We didn’t see it coming – it was a fraud perpetrated on Americans by big pharma

Now, since 2021 fentanyl has killed an average of 300k Americans a year, mainly driven by open borders allowing the flow from China but sold by cartel members

6.5k children in WV sit in foster care because their family is dead or detained

Another 4k sit with kinship family members because their parents are dead or detained

300 kids a night sleep in hotels & offices because there is no room in the inn

575 kids from WV live out of state because we have no special needs centers to house them

WV is last in workforce participation 

48/50 in national education rankings 

47/50 in early mortality 

I have spent 30+ years serving those who had no hope until we introduced them to Jesus – food, clothing, counseling, housing, training, relocation, abortion decision change and more

I have buried +100 sons, daughters, parents & my own brother as a result of illegal drugs and hopelessness drive by addiction driven by open borders pouring fentanyl in

When you have a solvable problem like open borders and removing illegal criminals from our great country- you do it. You do the hard work. The unpopular work. The work that will save another generation from death & detention 

I have traveled to 86 countries in my career – know what they all have?  A secure border

I have been detained by machine gun weilding border agents in India, China and El Salvador all in their attempt to ensure their border laws were followed.  Me, an American executive working for an $11b corporation providing thousands of jobs in their countries 

We are called to protect the widows & orphans. WV leads the nation in both. 

I’ll die defending them. My last breath will be in defense of babies & families and in favor of the removal of those who are here to kill, steal and destroy them

If your spiritual resume is similar then we can sharpen each other. If the only thing you have done is type keyboard quotes then lay down the phone and pick up a servants sword and make a change not a charge

A warrior for WV!

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