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davidpaul$
Inner circle
Pittsburgh, Pa
1989 Posts
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Posted: Nov 6, 2007 8:22pm
I walked in the door at my restaurant to start my set, and the host and a couple
waitresses told me that a call came in asking if I was performing that evening.
The long and short of it was, if I was going to be there their family was not dining there. The reason?? They did not want their family and especially their children subject to witchcraft.
I talked to the manager and he said "Yes, I couldn't believe it". They were very serious and voiced their concerns that a restaurant would have such a person. He tried to assure them that it was just entertainment and that the magician does nothing to promote witchcraft in anyway. He just laughed it off.
I have to say, I was a little cautious that evening approaching certain tables after hearing that, but I got over it. I guess as a magical entertainer you just have to be sensitive and aware that not everyone loves what you do.
Another day in the life of a restaurant worker.
David Paul
If you can't help worrying, remember worrying can't help you!
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S2000magician
Inner circle
Yorba Linda, CA
3606 Posts
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Posted: Nov 6, 2007 8:28pm
So, they don't mind patronizing a restaurant that promotes (what they perceive as) witchcraft, just so long as they (and especially their children) don't have to witness it.
I've performed at churches where I've had to bill myself as an illusionist because of the furor that a magician would cause.
Sigh.
BCIII
The Polite Side of Magic
Risk Mitigation Associates
Bottom Line Gurus
I took the Pledge
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MAKMagic
Special user
I got banned for one of my
557 Posts
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Posted: Nov 6, 2007 8:31pm
Sad sad people. There's a shame we couldn't stop them from breeding before they kids that we could corrupt with our witchcraft.
.:Michael Kelley
www.RandomActsofEntertainment.com
On the Level, By the Square
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Magic_Steve
Inner circle
Maryland
1477 Posts
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Posted: Nov 6, 2007 9:07pm
Just be grateful that the manager knows more people are COMING because of you then going. It's a shame that people take what we do that seriously, but I guess that's their problem, not yours. 
Good Luck David!
Steve
www.simmonsmagic.com
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SoCalPro
Inner circle
Southern California
1597 Posts
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Posted: Nov 6, 2007 9:17pm
David,
I had a table just last week full kids and adults (about 12 total). I walked up and started talking and asked the kids if they liked magic? Their faces lit up and one said.."Ye.....no  ". One of the old bags at the table spoke up and told me that they don't believe in magic. I just told them to have a great night and walked away. No harm, no foul.
Kinda funny though.....they didn't believe in magic but they believed in letting all the kids run a muck in the restaurant disturbing the other patrons.
I have no respect for these kinds of people.
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jlibby
Special user
943 Posts
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Posted: Nov 6, 2007 10:27pm
You know what? This kind of thing makes me crazy! People who believe that what we do promotes witchcraft are idiots, pure and simple. They don't deserve us!
If anyone thinks this message should be deleted, fine by me. I got that off my chest and I feel better.
See ya!
Joe L.
Insert gratuitous self promotion here:
For amazing and hilarious ventriloquism and magic, visit:
http://www.joelibby.net
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Christopher Lyle
Inner circle
Dallas, Texas
5264 Posts
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Posted: Nov 6, 2007 11:54pm
Don't sweat the petty things...or was that don't pet the sweaty things? Hmmm...ponder this I will!
Anyhow...I think this happens to us all at some point or another...kind get's back to what I said bout' Halloween and Christmas. Don't make someone else suffer b/c YOU don't agree with something. Thank goodness they didn't show up...imagine the crap they would have given you IN FRONT OF customers.
I had a similar situation happen a week or so back. Was performing at my Saturday Night gig and a family walked into the restaurant and asked for the Mgr. They told him they just walked in and were leaving b/c I was there performing...and that they would never return and would tell their friends not to come here either.
My take...
Stuff happens...laugh about it when you can! It's easier than getting angry!
In Mystery,
Christopher Lyle
Magician, Comic, Daredevil, and Balloon Twisting Genius
For a Good Time...CLICK HERE!
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MagicSanta
Inner circle
Northern Nevada
5846 Posts
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Posted: Nov 6, 2007 11:54pm
Too bad you don't know their address, you could send an apology nailed to a goats head.
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kammagic
Inner circle
1304 Posts
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Posted: Nov 7, 2007 12:45am
Many people avoid magic for religious, ethnic, superstitious or just personal reasons. You must respect that.
I am quite shocked at some of your disrespectful comments. The management should understand that you did nothing wrong.
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Dynamike
Eternal Order
20652 Posts
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Posted: Nov 7, 2007 1:12am
I ran into several tables like you have, Jim. It is always the adults who want me to leave and kids want me to stay.
Dynamike
Oakland County Magician Macomb County Magician Wayne County Magician Detroit Magician Detroit Clown
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MAKMagic
Special user
I got banned for one of my
557 Posts
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Posted: Nov 7, 2007 1:19am
Quote:
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On 2007-11-07 00:45, kammagic wrote:
Many people avoid magic for religious, ethnic, superstitious or just personal reasons. You must respect that.
I am quite shocked at some of your disrespectful comments. The management should understand that you did nothing wrong.
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The problem here kam isn't that the people avoided the magic for personal reasons. If that is what they did I'm sure no one would have an issue with it. I most certainly wouldn't and I whole heartdly accept and respect anyone, for any reason if they don't wish to see my perform. It's the fact they are attempting to get these guys FIRED by telling the management they wouldn't subject their children and themselves to evil witchcraft boy.
There aren't very many folks out there that get any respect from me when they show me disrespect. These people are no exception.
.:Michael Kelley
www.RandomActsofEntertainment.com
On the Level, By the Square
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pepka
Inner circle
Uh, I'm the one on the right.
3843 Posts
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Posted: Nov 7, 2007 2:43am
I really do my best to try and respect everyone's religious beliefs. I have none myself, but that's not the point. I've had a few people like this. Cards are evil, magic is evil, etc. It's only entertainment I tell them, of course, they don't buy it. All you can do is show some respect and try to make a graceful exit. When I run into people like this when I'm not performing, I tell them that I know ministers, priests and different religious leaders who use magic to share their message. I've actually had people tell me that they couldn't really be ministers then. These are the same people who think that Christian music can't use an electric guitar either. I really think that this is the smallest of the small minded people there are. But, fortunately, I believe it's a pretty small subset of the population. Don't let it bother you. It's them, not you.
www.forentertainmentonly.com
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kammagic
Inner circle
1304 Posts
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Posted: Nov 7, 2007 3:03am
Quote:
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On 2007-11-07 01:19, MAKMagic wrote:
Quote:
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On 2007-11-07 00:45, kammagic wrote:
Many people avoid magic for religious, ethnic, superstitious or just personal reasons. You must respect that.
I am quite shocked at some of your disrespectful comments. The management should understand that you did nothing wrong.
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The problem here kam isn't that the people avoided the magic for personal reasons. If that is what they did I'm sure no one would have an issue with it. I most certainly wouldn't and I whole heartdly accept and respect anyone, for any reason if they don't wish to see my perform. It's the fact they are attempting to get these guys FIRED by telling the management they wouldn't subject their children and themselves to evil witchcraft boy.
There aren't very many folks out there that get any respect from me when they show me disrespect. These people are no exception.
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The performer should not take it personally. I don't see it as them trying to get the magician fired as much as its them trying to find a night that is safe for them to come to the restaurant. The management should certainly understand that it is nothing against you and accommodate the caller by telling them dates that you are not there. Its no different then them calling up to find out if smoking is allowed in the restaurant or if the food is prepared with peanut oil. Would you rather them not call and come on the wrong night and make a scene when you show up at their table? The call was a harmless request nothing more. Unless of course you want to make it more then it is and that is your own fault.
, Jonathan
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pepka
Inner circle
Uh, I'm the one on the right.
3843 Posts
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Posted: Nov 7, 2007 3:31am
I can't believe I didn't think of this in my earlier post. I was subjected to this type of criticism years ago, IN MY OWN HOME!
I am divorced; happily divorced, 10 years now. One of the many things that lead to the downfall of our marriage was my wife's religious beliefs. About 9 months into our marriage, she had converted to Charasmatic Pentacostal. I had attended a few services with her and quickly decided this was the most bizarre thing I had ever seen. Speaking in tongues, people fainting as they're "cured", services lasting 4-5 hours. This is every single week. This was around the time I was becoming interested about performing magic. While attending services at her church, I realized that her minister was performing some very bad cold reading. The people in the church thought this was a divine gift. I told her what it was and explained to her about the Randi/Popoff incident. She became enraged, accusing me of being warped by the devil and that my magic was the work of Satan. At this time, my repitoire consisted of a slipforce, 21 card trick and a D'Lite, I think Satan could do a little bit better. She even told me that her preacher told her that David Copperfield had obviously made a deal with the Devil because he can really fly. She dropped that argument when I showed her John Gaughan's blueprints for the flying illusion.
Some people refuse to step into the 21st century.
www.forentertainmentonly.com
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wol
Loyal user
Norfolk, UK
237 Posts
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Posted: Nov 7, 2007 4:45am
I teach martial arts and had some parents approach me and ask if there children could be excused from the warm up as I use some yoga techniques and they were christians. While I respect any ones choice to do what they feel right, I find narrow minds extremely hard to deal with. But as previous posters have mentioned this is a very small group of people and not worth worrying about, they did what they felt was right and it didn't effect your position with the restaurant.
Keep passing the open windows!
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paisa23
Inner circle
7 years no smoking. And counting
6420 Posts
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Posted: Nov 7, 2007 4:51am
I remember when I worked at the Rainforest Café and had to wait on a table of 3 women. Like always I introduced myself and asked if I could show them few pieces of Magic. They jumped to tell me that the only magic they wish to see was that of the Lord Jesus Christ and that I should read the good book to stray me away from the Dark Arts(MY AVATAR doesn't HELP EITHER). I was floored and said very well what could I get you ladies to drink? They asked me to come back so when I went to the kitchen to tell them what happened, we were laughing because it was the first time anything like that ever happened to me. My boss came to me and told me that they insisted on another server. That wowed me even further, but no hard feelings. They were asked to get up and moved to another Waiters area which kinda gave me that reassurance that my bosses cared for me a bit more to remove them from my area. Either way it was fine but yeah man sometimes people just wont understand.. Press on and be happy...
June 22 2012 9:02 AM baby Usnavi was born!
http://twitter.com/paisa233
http://www.facebook.com/people/Wilder-J-Rua/505202382
http://www.myspace.com/wildrua
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manal
Inner circle
York ,PA.
1357 Posts
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Posted: Nov 7, 2007 9:30am
One can only be offended if one CHOOSES to take offense.
Life is too important to take seriously.
james@jamesmanalli.com
www.jamesmanalli.com
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RobertBloor
Inner circle
The Socialist Republic of the USA.
1051 Posts
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Posted: Nov 7, 2007 10:02am
And after his day of rest, God said, "Let there be whining." And it was so.
David, sounds like things went okay for you. Glad you didn't lose the gig over such a petty situation.
Robert
"That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government,"
-The Declaration of Independence
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Christopher Lyle
Inner circle
Dallas, Texas
5264 Posts
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Posted: Nov 7, 2007 10:17am
Rodney! Pepka said it much better than I!!!! Look at his X! THAT is a Crazy Christian!
In Mystery,
Christopher Lyle
Magician, Comic, Daredevil, and Balloon Twisting Genius
For a Good Time...CLICK HERE!
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magicians
Inner circle
Teacher and Legend
2894 Posts
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Posted: Nov 7, 2007 10:34am
Talk about CC's, I had a Theater in leesburg florida, and had my magic shop set up in the lobby. We rented one of the auditoriums to a Church group on Sundays while their new building was being finished.
Every Sunday, I was instructed to cover my magic supplies with sheets so as not to offend the Parishioners. On Halloween season, I had to put up tall screens to block the masks. Some Church members even chose to use the back door emergency entrance rather than go past the lobby display even when covered.
When I first opened the magic shop, I was visited by the Leesburg, fl. police to inspect the magic in case I was selling witch craft or devil worship supplies.
In Bushnell and Wildwood, fl. not far from Leesburg, they banned Halloween. Which killed any possibility of my opening a shop near home. They had fall festivals instead.
Illusionist, Illusionist consulting, product development, stage consultant, seasoned performer for over 35 years. Specializing in original effects. Highly opinionated, usually correct, and not afraid of jealous critics. I've been a puppet, a pirate, a pawn and a King. Free lance gynecologist.
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Christopher Lyle
Inner circle
Dallas, Texas
5264 Posts
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Posted: Nov 7, 2007 10:45am
How Sad! =, (
In Mystery,
Christopher Lyle
Magician, Comic, Daredevil, and Balloon Twisting Genius
For a Good Time...CLICK HERE!
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Christopher Lyle
Inner circle
Dallas, Texas
5264 Posts
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Posted: Nov 7, 2007 10:50am
Back when I lived in Richmond, Va., a buddy of mine managed a Blockbuster Video. He called me up and told me if I wanted FREE PR and a change to get on TV, to put on my duds and come up the store.
Apparetnly, some Christian Nut brought her whole chruch group up to the BB to protest b/c they were selling The Last Temptation of Christ. They wanted it removed from the shelves and my buddy told them to go $#^@ themselves. So they left and came back later with the local NBC station to cover it on the news.
So I went up there to perform strolling magic (another thing that p&##ed off the wholesome church folk) and got on the news that night.
The outcome...my buddy had to triple order The Last Temptation b/c with all the pr it got, people wanted to buy it! A slap in the face to the nuts of the world...
GOTTA LOVE IT!!!!
In Mystery,
Christopher Lyle
Magician, Comic, Daredevil, and Balloon Twisting Genius
For a Good Time...CLICK HERE!
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Payne
Inner circle
Seattle
4295 Posts
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Posted: Nov 7, 2007 10:51am
Quote:
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On 2007-11-07 03:31, pepka wrote:
Some people refuse to step into the 21st century.
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21st Century? Most these fanatics refuse to go even so far as the Eighteenth. Those prone to magical thinking never receive the benefits of the age of enlightenment.
These are the same type of people who refuse to let their children see my Harry Potter show because it promotes witchcraft in their eyes. I don't know which is sadder\more scary, the fact that these people actually think there are such things as witches or the fact that they've had children and are passing their superstitious beliefs on to another generation.
I contend that we are both atheists.
I just believe in one fewer god than you do.
http://masterpaynemagic.com
Need a Corset in Seattle? http://fittingroomcorsets.com
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mrunge
Inner circle
Charleston, SC
3573 Posts
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Posted: Nov 7, 2007 10:57am
You should ask the manager to start telling people who call and say that magic is evil to say "Dang...the magician was looking for some new children to turn into toads" and to try and talk them into coming on in. That could be fun!
Just kidding. Mark. 
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Skip Way
Inner circle
3452 Posts
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Posted: Nov 7, 2007 11:01am
I was once hired to perform for a church Harvest Festival on Hallowe'en night...the basic alternative to Trick or Treating. As I always do, I began my roaming warm-up with the kids performing hands-on, close-up magic. About five minutes into this the pastor politely asked me to refrain from using any reference to "magic" as it had a different connotation among his congregation...and, "Oh yeah, no playing cards, please." I asked why I was hired if this was the case. He said that he really enjoyed my comedy interaction with families at a local town festival and wanted to add that to this event...he just forgot to mention the "Leave the Magic at Home" bit. It was relatively simple to convert everything magical in my act to "Imagination"...as in "Imagine that these two bunnies could change places..." The pastor and his congregation were thrilled with it and I've been invited back twice every year since.
When you're in business, you gotta respect the peeps; Even the over-the-top ones.
Oddly, I was raised Mormon and they frown on using playing cards for divination or magic displays...yet I never once had a church leader call me down for my skills. Some folks are simply more tolerant and open-minded than others.
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I.B.M. T.V.P. North Carolina
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RaleighMagicClub.org
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JeffMac
Veteran user
Sudbury, ont
350 Posts
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Posted: Nov 7, 2007 11:35am
Better
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JeffMac
Veteran user
Sudbury, ont
350 Posts
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Posted: Nov 7, 2007 11:37am
You really gotta wonder about peoples faith when they believe that it is so flimsy that seeing someone do a trick in front of their kids would take them off the path.
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Magic_Steve
Inner circle
Maryland
1477 Posts
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Posted: Nov 7, 2007 12:23pm
Quote:
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On 2007-11-07 11:01, Skip Way wrote:
When you're in business, you gotta respect the peeps; Even the over-the-top ones.
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Definitely so true. Everyone always has someone they work for...even magicians. We work for the people that hire us...if they want us to change the way we present our magic, well that's just customer satisfaction IMO...and you know, customer satisfaction is just the cost of doing business.
Good post Skip...awesome example!
Steve
www.simmonsmagic.com
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Frank Starsini
Eternal Order
Northern California
12251 Posts
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Posted: Nov 7, 2007 12:36pm
Quote:
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On 2007-11-07 11:10, Dynamike wrote:
I wonder how it would of turned out if you know who was here.
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Voldemort?
www.theambitiouscard.com Hand Crafted Magic
Trophy Husband, Father of the Year Candidate,
Chippendale's Dancer applicant, Unofficial World Record Holder.
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S2000magician
Inner circle
Yorba Linda, CA
3606 Posts
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Posted: Nov 7, 2007 12:51pm
Quote:
| On 2007-11-07 11:37, JeffMac wrote:
You really gotta wonder about peoples faith when they believe that it is so flimsy that seeing someone do a trick in front of their kids would take them off the path. |
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That's a pretty harsh assessment. How could you possibly know whether they believe that their faith is flimsy or solid? Are you saying that if their faith is solid they're not allowed to maintain its solidity?
cf Matt 7:1
BCIII
The Polite Side of Magic
Risk Mitigation Associates
Bottom Line Gurus
I took the Pledge
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