Podcast – The Middle East and the U.S
A high school teacher in the United States contacted us a few weeks ago and asked if we could interact with students in his Global Studies class, either through a video conference or podcasting.
I know that many members here do not really have the equipments to do this (podcast softwares, video cams, etc) so instead, I hope you will all write responses on how you feel about the United States and how you think the general public in your country feels about the U.S or vice versa.
Note: Since this is directed to high school students, it is very important that you do not swear or resort to any offensive remarks here. Express your opinions but do so respectfully and politely. Thanks!
I hope you will enjoy this.
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Join the Conversation
Its ironic and surprising that the negative imagery of arabs in the middle east is interpreted and accepted by arab americans as well. Arabs who have long since left their countries and now rely on media and media alone to present an image of their home lands. I sometimes cringe at the remarks of arab americans who accept and state their belief that the middle east is “a piece of crap beyond hope”. Its not good enough to say, “we are here now so who cares about back home”. I look forward to seeing that attitude change.
Well.
People in Jordan are really frustrated with the current/previous American foreign policy, they truly do not believe what the bush administration is saying about promoting democracy. We see the American soldiers as intruders, and we are very skeptical about whatever USA says or do. And it will surely take years to repair/fix that image, the only way to fix it is REALY be involved in solving the middle easy main crises (Israelis-Palestinian conflict and the Iraq tragedy), at the same time people in Jordan differentiate between the American foreign policy and Americans as individuals.
In America the Middle East is portrayed as an extremely violent area of the world with little upsides. I understand that that isn’t the case. I hope more Americans can realize this and stop discriminating against the area. Also, I’m glad that the people in the Middle East aren’t outragged by this and I deeply respect that becuse I know that if it were me I would be really angry, they mostly just seem frustrated.
I understand that it is frustrating to be “generalized” by the Americans but i want you to know that the media is the only place you see this stereotype. Many people in the teen generation right now know that there are many different tyes of cultures and languages. In my global studies class, we are learning about all the countries in the middle east and their capitals and a general basic history of each. The school systems in America are really trying to bring awareness to the issues in the middle east and influence the kids to forget about the stereotype that has been out there in the past, especialy after 9/11/01. You have to understand that we have fear just like you do. It is hard not knowing the enemy, I completely agree with you on that but when the World Trade Centers were attacked, we didn’t know who was attacking us. Many innocent people lost their lives that day over an issue that they didn’t have any control over. It is hard to understand why people of another culture feel the way they do but it’s not about understanding, its about accepting.
Hi! I am an American and your podcast has left a lasting impression on me. I think we both want the same things and what you said has helped me realize this. I understand now that not everyone in the Middle East can be labeled an “Arab” or any other type for that matter. Although this is a type of media, I think this is the type of media that we Americans need to hear and watch. It is the type of media that offers an understanding on both sides. Thank you for taking the time to do this for us. It’s really opened up my eyes to see your side of the story- the side of the story that is not spoken of here in the United States.
You bring up a very good point about media perceptions. In the United States, our media portrays all citizens of the Middle East as terrorists who are trying to kill our soldiers and bring war to our doorstep. In fact though it was us who brought war to your doorstep, so it is interesting to hear the the media in the Middle East is portraying the opposite of the American media, that American soldiers are the terrorists and that they are the ones coming to kill middle east citizens. I think that in fact the situation is a combination of the two media points. Americans have brought war to the region and unfortunitly there have been incidents such as Abu Ghraib. There is also an insurgence that is present in the region that is killing American soldiers and putting American lives on the line. I think that people from both sides need to look at the positives that have happend and work towards unity and understanding.
This podcast has definetly impacted my knowledge of the middle east. I never knew that there was so many cultures, and so many different diversities. It has changed my opinion in that I used to think all middle easterns were terrorists. You have shared with us that you just sit around watching these news shows, showing you guys that we think that all middle easterns are trying to kill us. I can’t imagine everyone thinking that Americans are all terrorists, the media has shown us only a few view points, not all. I feel foolish now to believe in my mind that all “arabs” were terrorists. Americans, including Arab-Americans view the Middle East as a whole, and i think that is why we base our thoughts the way we do.
I think that everything that Esra’a said in the podcast was extremely true about most Ameircans. Most Americans believe that everyone in the Middle east is exactly the same. They believe that they dress the same, practice the same religion, and believe the same things. I believe that after hearing this podcast, many Americans would change their views on the Middle East. It is interesting to hear that Middle Eastern media portrays America as a country that is out to kill all Middle Easterners. This is how most Americans view Middle Easterners. I think that more poeple need to listen to this podcast to understand the true Middle easterners, not the ones that they see in the media everyday.
After listening to the podcast, I was surprised at how different her opinions about her region, and our opinions about the middle east differed. I never would have guessed that every country she traveled to she felt culture shocked, especially when she went to Saudi Arabia which is only 45 minutes away from her. I was also suprised to hear that they fear the extremists too. I can’t imagine what I would feel if I lived in an area with the threat of extremists everyday of my life.
I have learned a great deal about the Middle East through this podcast. I believe the Middle East and the United States are similar in many ways. People in the United States have many different opinions of the Middle East, such as Middle Easterners feel differently about Americans. I respect the rich culture of the Middle East, something the United States, as a young nation, lacks. It is true the U.S. media plays a giant role in the stereotypes Americans place on Middle Easterners, which is the root cause of negative feelings against its peoples. It is a valid point that Americans and Arabs suffer from the same enemy, which essentially is violence from extremists. Stereotypes aside, both sides can sympathize with terrorist/extremist violence, and working together will take great strides towards ending it.
hey
Some of the things that were said in the podcast were surprising to me. I’m gonna be honest, I am one of the people the girl talked about that thinks Middle Eastern people are dangerous and are all about fighting. Not everyone in America is like what you think though. Yea I agree that the media isn’t always right, but a whole lot of the time it’s like live coverage or stories actually brought over by a first hand source. They don’t make everything up…minus that they exaggerate probably most of the time to catch attention. I know that Middle Easterners aren’t ALL bad the way it’s kind of looked at. I really didn’t know how culturally diverse the ME is. I figured you all dress alike, do the same thing, all that stuff. But I was wrong. ANyways, glad I got to hear about your life.
I really enjoyed this podcast. I gained a lot of information from listening to it. Esra’a said that even though she lives close to Saudi Arabia she still gets a culture shock when she goes to Saudi Arabia as well as other countries. This lets me know that all of the people in the Middle East do not dress the same, have the same music, talk the same, etc. This kind of breaks the stereotype that some Americans believe, which is that all of the people in the Middle East are the same. Esra’a also said that people in the Middle East have to deal with some of the very same terrorists we do, which I didn’t realize. The podcast also helped me to understand the thoughts and feelings of some of the people from the Middle East. Esra’a said that she is angered by the image of Middle Eastern people that the U.S. media portraits. This is understandable because it is true that the media often makes it seem like all people from the Middle East are mean, evil terrorists, which obviously is not true. Not all MIddle Eastern people are terrorists, alot of them are nice decent people. I’m glad that Esra’a said that we should take advantage of the rights and freedoms we have in the United States, because I think it’s important for all of the people in the U.S. to remember that and be thankful. Overall, I enjoyed this podcast and found it to be very informative and helpful.
I think that an excellent point was made when Esra’a stated how Muslims and Arabs are not the only people living in the Middle East. Too often Americans make judgements on Middle Easterners based on Arab and/or Muslim culture, not even taking time to consider the other people who have made their home there. Americans make prejudices and generalizations on Middle Easterners as a whole, but they don’t seem to realize that the Middle Eastern people are very diverse and have many different cultures and customs. When accusations are made towards Middle Easterners, I’m sure that the accuastion does not apply to the majority of these people. Then many will be offended by the remark, and there are feelings of resentment and dislike that grow between the Middle East and the U.S. This is something that definetly has to be remedied if we ever want unity and acceptance between the U.S. and the Middle East.
Being an American myself I was very interested to hear how people in the United States were perceived by Middle-Easterners. I think that their extremities define both Americans and Middle-Easterners because that is always what is shown in the media. All we ever hear or see on the news is all the horrible events happening in the Middle East. Our media has shaped society to be ignorant to the other side of the spectrum. This podcast has showed me that the majority of the people in the Middle East are very similar in their values as many Americans. We aren’t that different. It is always nice to learn about another culture and see how it relates to your own.
Although the stereotypes that my grop mentioned are what many people believe about the Middle East, I never really believed that they were true for all Middle Easterners. I thought that it was true for most, but not all. But after listening to your podcast, I learn that I am wrong. I never realized that there were so many diverse groups of people. I always thought that the Middle East was mainly made up of Arabs. Also, before I thought that the Middle East region was made up of one main group. Now, I know that, and can see that the area if made up of separate, unique countries. This podcast really makes me have different ideas about the Middle East, and I can see that some of my previous thoughts were proven wrong.
I feel what Esra says is true about US news and other media. I’m from the United States. I feel the same that the media in the US makes all of the Middle East seem like our enemy. I feel that we entered Iraq for the wrong reasons and the wrong time. We should have searched harder and longer for errorist groups and their leaders. I don’t believe in most of the things President Bush says because of the lies his adminstration has told everyone and the legal issues surrounding some of the government officals. I’m not sure what to think about the Iraq war now. If the we pull out too soon our image will be severely damaged and Iraq will collapse from all the terrorists and if we stay there longer more US troops will die and there will be nothing left of Iraq from all the bombings and deaths of Iraqis and their homes and businesses.
Thank God for the Internet, so that people like Esra’a can let their voices be heard and some of the misconceptions about the Middle East, as a whole, can finally begin to dissolve. I’m an American who has been blessed to have spent a few years in the Middle East, Bahrain to be specific (Esra’a, if you happen to read this, I lived in a compound just south of the Causeway. I have fond memories of your country). I think it’s funny that she mentioned the Sri Lankan maids, because my family’s maid was from Sri Lanka, and I’m flattered by her comment about the majority of Americans that she knows being decent people. In response, I’ll have it known that most of the Middle Easterners I have met (with the exception of some Saudi royal kids who were a bit spoiled) are the most kind-hearted people I’ve ever known.
Last, but certainly not least, I loved the suggestion that we unite against the common enemy that is extremism is all forms.
Thank you very much for you time.
I think that Middle Easterners stereotype Americans as people who don’t try to understand other peoples cultures and also as people who take our rights for granted. However, I think that instead of criticizing how we use the freedoms available in our country, you should exercise your “god-given” freedoms like “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” by extracting all of the terrorists from your communities. Naturally, the things that mean the most to any one human being are these past three rights. Whether or not they are given to you freely or not you, like us, have your families. Trust me, we aren’t trying to attack you, if we could know the Middle Eastern viewpoint that you stated and we got to known more Middle Easterners like you, I’m sure our viewpoint would change.
I feel that you made a very good point Esra’a. I am an American myself. I had previous accusations that did not fit what you said. After listening to your podcast I feel very different about the Middle East. How places are very different from each other, city to city. To here your voice on here sound so intelligent and to not really have that stereotypical arab accent, I realized that not everyone over there is the same. I stand corrected with my accusations. After listening to the podcast I felt that now I have a better understanding to the Middle East. That there are those people who are just trying to live normal lives and stay away from the many bad influences out there.
Not all people in the United States think that Arabs are the only people that live in the middle east, only the ignorant ones. Another thing is that people in the Middle East think Americans take advantage of their rights. I don’t think that is true because believe it or not some Americans do respect other cultures and know that we live in a country where we are free.
After listening to your podcast, I was very impressed with the thoughts and ideas presented to us. I was somewhat surprised to hear about the culture shock that was mentioned because it never occurred to me that Middle Eastern cultures could differ from each other so much. That almost embarrasses me to say that, but it is true. I was also very happy to hear that as a whole, citizens of the Middle East do not generally dislike Americans. If more positive media such as this podcast was presented to the United States, I would guarantee that Americans would have a much more positive, informed view of those in the Middle East. Thank you for presenting to us such an intelligent, honest podcast.
I believe that a big majority of Middle Eastern stereotypes are what the US media portrays. Like Esra said about Fox News and CNN is true, they do only report the bad happenings and none of the good. I mean what are most people going to want to watch, reports about war and violence or reports about peace and understanding? It’s human nature to be more intrested in bad happenings, and the news will report what sells. But fortunetly I think the American people are learning not to trust the media as much, they are no longer a truley reliable source for news. If we could take all the people from America and all the people from the Middle East and for just one day mix them together I think there would be much more understanding between them, and we would relize how much alike we all actually are.
The media shapes the way we view your culture, with it, we don’t really get a chance to know the real side of your people. I believe that you are very open to different viewpoints and that if I could get ot know more Middle Easterners like you, I’m almost positive that my own personal view of the Middle East would change.
I think it’s interesting that both sides of this issue have the same problem. The media veiws the opposite sides as irrational and violent enemies. Still, there would have to be people with these veiws on each side for these veiws to exist. It kind of makes me upset that some people are so easily affected by the media and other propaganda. It’s frustrating for both sides to be afraid from attacks from a force that generalizes all of them as ‘bad.’ I understand why people have developed this veiw of us, and why some of us have such a negative veiw of Arabs, but I think it’s a very bad thing that is a major contributor to the conflict in the Middle East.
You made an extremely good point when you noted that each individual country in the Middle East is indeed unique and culturally divergent and you’ll experience a culture shock when traveling. This is important to realize because the majority of Americans pay little attention to the individual countries of the Middle East because it’ll grouped together. We are ignorant to the fact that there are hundreds of different languages and dialects and subcultures, which we all combine into this “Middle Eastern culture.†You also mentioned that many of the negative stereotypical views are false, which is probably true, however, the hatred directed towards Americans, especially from Muslims is there, but what many of us don’t realize is that these hatred isn’t centralized in the Middle East. For example, Muslim students in France when asked what there goals were in life, they answer by saying that all they wanted to do was kill an American, and that’s true, and a shame.
I thought you stated you opinions very well and I deffinitly understand that there is a missconseption on what the US thinks of you just like Arabs have a missconception on us. That missconseption is not only hurting you but us as well making those “extremist” mad and defensive. However, you did not say somehting that I argued about within the Arab economy. There is no middle class and all the money is going towards the rich and looking past the needy. The Middle East needs to find that middle class and balanced economy. You need to distribute your money in favor to all the people, not just the people with the biggest wallet. I mean are those islands really necessary? You should be spending those big bucks for something else. I will admit thart your economy is growing at a fantastic rate but you just neede to knopw how to balance it out. But over all, i fully agree with what you said and I know that we both need to look past the media and look at the real people living there.
Thank you for your response to our out pod cast. I found your options very helpful and it provided me with a new outlook on the Middle East. I agree with your statement that Americans group all of the countries in the Middle East together. We do forget that each country in the region is very diverse. I think that this grouping does come from our media and what we see on TV. Our media portrays all the Middle Eastern states as a united front against the United States and Israel. However, I know that this can’t be true so I am going to try and learn more about each individual country in the region. It also shocked me that you envy American freedoms. I did not know that these Arab extremists attacked other moderate Arabs and Arabs that promote free speech. I feel sorry that you do not have these freedoms that I take for granted. I hope that some day the Moderate Arabs can unite with Israel and the United States agents all extremists
Most Americans know that there are a lot of different people in the Middle East. What you have to understand is that there are a lot of different people in the US too. Just because we all live in the same country doesn’t mean we are all the same either. What you said about the news is true. The media only gives us half of the truth, but most people know that and don’t base their opinions just off of the media. Your medias tells you that we are trying to kill you, but who attacked us first? People from the Middle East attacked us and we still have to pay for it everyday just like you.
Wow, I wasn’t expecting these many responses! Thanks a lot everyone for sharing your worthwhile opinions. I enjoyed reading them all and I wish you would stay vocal in these types of websites in order to learn more about us and our views and so we can interact with Americans who share our worries, values, and concerns.
Courtney, thank you for your response, however I would like to reply to this point of yours:
Yes, I realize that, however at some point you also say “people from the Middle East” – but who do you mean? Israelis, Kurds, Iranians, Arabs? They are all “people from the Middle East.” I do realize that not all Americans are the same of course, however you come from one country under the same government. We come from completely different countries with a different language and a completely different government, that means different laws apply and that’s what causes the culture shocks. I know that not all Americans are the same, it’s very diverse, but the differences in our region are not minor, we are talking about huge differences that make our countries incomparable that it would just not be accurate to call us “people from the Middle East.” It’s a big region with big differences, but many media sources just don’t acknowledge those differences and it portrays most of us in a very bad image.
When others say “people from the Middle East,” it’s almost like saying “people from the Americas.” North America, South America, where? They are incredibly different that we can’t generalize about their views and beliefs.
Thank you all for your great responses. It gives us a better image of Americans and how tolerant they could be. And on behalf of many other Arabs and Muslims I apologize for the way we treat and portray you in our media as well.
Esra’a did a great job, it was very informative, (I kinda learned some stuff myself
) thanks a lot for the fascinating work, as usual.
Now, if I’m to speak about how people portray Americans around me, that is, in Jordan and somehow in Palestine, I’d say that despite the fact that 99% of them resent the American invasion of Iraq and want all the troops out of the Middle East, and that everyone is skeptical about any good will the US might have to this region, I still think that the majority of people here still differentiate between the American troops and the American people, and between the American administration and the American people to a considerable extent, there are many extremists here no doubt, but unfortunately, it’s the US actions in the region that help their ideas flourish! You have no idea how things like Abu Ghraib and the news from Iraq or the unconditional support for Israel help those extremists spread their ideology of violence.
I really enjoyed reading all those positive comments from America, that shows how crucial these debates are.
Hello High School folk:
I thought this brings in yet another interesting perspective. I found this exchange quite interesting:
“I am 20 years old, living in Morocco. I have read your book in French, Musulmane Mais Libre [Muslim But Free] and it was a chef d’oeuvre [masterpiece]. I cheer. You tell us that we do not have to believe in something without reflecting on it first and without exercising critical thinking. That is what I did when I read your book.
So I would like to say something without making you upset, please. What you say about the USA, I think you exaggerate. If I have understood what you mean, you were saying that Bush’s United States has not done a lot of mistakes. I am especially referring to your statement “il est possible que les americains aient besoin de notre aide pour exprimer leur glorieu potentiel d’humanistes.” ["It may be that Americans need our help to express their glorious humanitarian potential."]
The USA is not humanitarian at all. The government has not done anything to stop the downsizing of the corporations. I mean, when I hear Nike, for example, exploiting children and earning a lot of money, I think that if the States were reaallllllyyyy humanitarian as you say, they would do something to stop that!!! Moreover, is it humanitarian to turn down Kyoto because some people do not want to save our shared planet?
I am open to your criticisms of what I am saying, and I know you will not hesitate. What I am trying to do here is learn more and more so we have an Islam where everyone can live without problems.” – Zineb
Irshad replies: Merci bien for your passionate message, Zineb. I’m thrilled that you don’t accept everything I wrote; it shows that you have a mind of your own and I respect that about you.
You’re right that I won’t hesitate to challenge much of what you’ve said. For starters, I do criticize America, especially in Chapter 5 of my book. Nowhere do I imply that the U.S. is perfect. That’s why I talk about its humanitarian “potential.†You focus on the word “humanitarian,” but equally important is the word “potential” – by which I mean a capacity that has not yet been realized.
At the same time, humanitarianism does exist in the USA. An American can denounce her country — and her president — with the most vicious, hateful statements and she won’t be thrown in jail or have her tongue chopped off for doing so. In my book, I give the example of Jello Biafra, lead singer of the 1980s punk band The Dead Kennedys. After 9/11, he toured North America and mocked President George W. Bush. He was never “cautioned†by the FBI, CIA or anybody else to stop.
Similarly, the American press is constantly pointing out the faults of American corporations and governmental institutions — from the refusal of the White House to participate in the International Criminal Court, to its dissing of the Kyoto Protocol, to sweatshops operated by Nike and many other (non-American) multi-nationals. In highlighting this fact, I’m actually emphasizing two things: first, for all the hypocrisy of America, freedom of expression still lives; and second, that thanks to freedom of expression, everybody knows America is far from perfect.
But maybe the most important point is that ordinary Muslims in America are treated far better than average Muslims in Islamic countries. In fact, in the last 100 years alone, more Muslims have been tortured and murdered at the hands of other Muslims than at the hands of any foreign imperial power. I document this fact in my book.
My bottom line is this: instead of trying to identify the “perfect” society, let’s accept that none of us is perfect and then engage in self-criticism to begin cleaning our own houses — be they White Houses or mosques. Thousands of American journalists, and millions of American citizens, are exercising self-criticism every day, which is why the US is so deeply polarized right now. Can we truly say that millions of people in the Middle East are openly engaging in self-criticism? Of course not. And that’s an act of betrayal to ourselves as well as to Allah, because as the Quran tells us: “God does not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves” (13:11).
Americans are well on their way to doing this. When will non-Americans, especially those in the Muslim world, do the same? With you as a leader of young Moroccans, Zineb, I’m optimistic about the future.
Howie,
This is because Americans aren’t targeted and killed by their own people when they express such views. Nor are they imprisoned, harassed, and thrown in jails for expressing views that goes against the mainstream beliefs that mainly consist of collectivist ideologies like nationalism.
America is well on its way to do this because it has the many freedoms that we can only dream of in most of the Middle East with the obvious exception of Israel.
When Americans criticize themselves, they are expressing an opinion, which they can do proudly and safely.
When we do it, many of us risk our lives doing so.
I hope you know why many of us aren’t as vocal. We should be, and many of us are trying to be, but it’s not half as easy as you think. We are discouraged by our educational systems and political institutions who have yet to recognize our basic human rights.
Of course much progress has been made in the past years, if we compare the present with history we have come along way especially when it comes to gender discrimination. But when compared to the U.S, we can’t be expected to do the same things because we have neither the rights nor the tools and resources to do this. The internet, like I noted, is changing this significantly and it’s finally empowering us to seak up, critizise, and engage in these types of discussions with people we wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to meet and discuss things with.
Esra’a
“This is because Americans aren’t targeted and killed by their own people when they express such views. Nor are they imprisoned, harassed, and thrown in jails for expressing views that goes against the mainstream beliefs that mainly consist of collectivist ideologies like nationalism.
America is well on its way to do this because it has the many freedoms that we can only dream of in most of the Middle East with the obvious exception of Israel.
When Americans criticize themselves, they are expressing an opinion, which they can do proudly and safely.
When we do it, many of us risk our lives doing so.”
Which is exactly why I have so much respect for you and those like you, though, believe it or not…I worry…us Jews know the “knock at night” syndrome.
Readers..
“I know that not all Americans are the same, it’s very diverse, but the differences in our region are not minor, we are talking about huge differences that make our countries incomparable that it would just not be accurate to call us “people from the Middle East.†It’s a big region with big differences, but many media sources just don’t acknowledge those differences and it portrays most of us in a very bad image.”
This is a powerful statement and I guess I would call it “the tragedy of the sound byte”.
Many of us feel grossly misunderstood, stereotyped, and treated unjustly. The kids in this class should be proud of themselves and their teacher. The road you are on, the road to truth, is not well lighted, nor straight…but a long, lifetime, bumpy and sometimes painful path.
But we are humans first…and this binds us to God…with the exception of Canadians who will never learn to say about correctly (they still think it is a type of shoe).
Esraa
your a true angel for doing all this … that is a great job
———-
a Message to the American students: always keep in mind that “you cant judge a book by its cover …can you? “
Thanks a lot Omar, Howie, and Bashar, you guys need to start podcasting as well!
Hello there,
Last fall, I was part of a program called Soliya, it was part of my “media ethics” course. It was made up of 4 students from the middle east/north africa and 4 students from different universities in America. We talked about the core problem btw the US and the Arab/Muslim world, Israeli/Palestinian conflict, July war, 9/11, Iraq war etc…
I really learned alot from the program and I think its a gr8 idea because I really hate the media sometimes, its soo biased and they generalize alot. You have to talk to people to get to know the truth not only listen to the media.
I really think that exchange programs/studying abroad/internet forums and websites and etc.. are all great opportunities to break the ridiculous stereotypes and generalizations and also get to know people from all over the world.
nihal(egypt)
i become very nervous when i watch american tv serius and the way they thoughy of middle east pepole as violence and retarted pepole but the real fact that we have a real life as the rest of the world and each one has his own personality his style of clothes perfumes friends…etc and we have the right to belive what we want and we wanted to be muslims we didnt just became some one we didnt want to be.
and the way egyptians look at the americans we dont think of them of terorists or any thing btw most of egyptians pepole have american or euroupian friends ..we just dont like bush and his way of ruling the country and sending his army to iraq and lebanon (we dont now whats is going to be next)
at the end i would like to thank all of u guys 4 the support
Great comment Nihal. You’re completely right.
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