WebThe classroom was filled with angels and saints, beautiful beings who calmed the terrified children and told them what to do. Mark Junge: Well, what do you think would cause two people like this to do this? I do think the key is talking about it often and early. Both men were handcuffed in a van outside the school.[1]. Cokeville seems like a pretty small town. Rich Haskell: Well, by none of the kids bein' hurt that was supposed to be hurt. Maybe writing that up 2 years ago when this came along was more healing for me than for him, but I gave it all to him! There are a select number of people that would do this, so thank you. Chaos ensued. Rich Haskell: And fourteen and a half great-grandchildren. [13], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}420457N 1105719W / 42.08250N 110.95528W / 42.08250; -110.95528.

Journal entries also indicate that he saw opportunity in the close-knit community; he wrote, "Threaten one and all are at your mercy." WebKam's lessons from Cokeville are profound: 1.Bad things can happen anywhere, anytime. Amy says she has an The basket, the shelves. I mean, Columbine, it wasn't that way. After a two-and-a-half hour standoff, the children were becoming restless, so the teachers preoccupied the kids in the form of movies, games, prayer, and books. She was totally burned. A Project of the Wyoming Historical Society. It was perfect! Davids friends did not know that the Biggie was a plan to take over Cokeville Elementary School, hold each of the children hostage for $2 million dollars apiece and then detonate the bomb, transporting the money and children to his Brave New World, where he would be God. Mark Junge: We were worried, Sue and I, that people would take offence, right? WebCokeville old-fashioned America at its best. Once all the hostages were contained in the first grade classroom, David Young informed them that they were leading a revolution and distributed copies of his philosophy Zero Equals Infinity to everyone present. I mean, okay, you lose the Twin Towers, you might get the Pentagon damaged, but if somebody's town hall or school is blown up in Star Valley [Wyo.] I don't know what. I said, "What on earth happened there?" Rich Haskell: Yes, absolutely. Rich Haskell: Okay, I'll buy that! I'm not saying all of 'em were bombs, but why did God cut out Cokeville and say nobody's going to get hurt in this?
Sue Castaneda: Carla said that some people were mad that we were there. Because it was sittin' low enough and the kids were low enough that it would have done it. In most cases I have deleted redundant ands, ers, uhs, buts, false starts, etc.

Go to their hands and knees and crawl out. The tuna fish cans, if you can imagine, here's two tuna fish cans sittin' here like this, and a gallon jug of gasoline sittin' above it. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. They learned to trust in their God, the kids were healed for the most part, and they value life more now. The mood did not lift with the singing and teachers quickly negotiated with the hostage takers to get items from the library to help the kids get their minds off the siege,[8] and help to pass the time. Rich Haskell: I took pictures of it. frank silvera jr. Building and using wood fired ovens, recipes, pizza, DIY, and forums. And then he shot himself. Because they weren't in a gun, the pressure wasn't chambered enough to where you could direct it. Rich Haskell: Well, I did learn later that the kids saw the angels. He demanded a ransom of two million dollars per hostage ($308 million, $720 million adjusted for inflation), and an audience with President Ronald Reagan. It is a touchy topic for us, and could come across the wrong way. Local resident and former student of the school Aiden Hale (formerly Audrey Elizabeth Hale) [5] [6] [7] [disputed discuss] killed three children and three adults. This sub is dedicated to faithful discourse on church topics.

Wyoming has a lot of money as far as the state is concerned. They forget about what happened in Cokeville with a lot more people and the potential of what was there. Mark Junge: But all of these holes were above the level of the children. Mark Junge: And what happened? Cokeville Elementary School is located at 205 N. Sage St. in Cokeville. The Cokeville Town Hall is located at 110 Pine St. For more information, visit the website of the Cokeville Chamber of Commerce at http://www.cokevillewy.com or call (307) 459-4195. One hostage observed a birthday on that day and songs were sung in his honor. It was within the first few weeks that the Hartley boy was explaining his witness. How did it affect your family long-term? Rich Haskell: I am. At that time, about 500 people lived in Cokeville, and there were slightly more than 100 students attending the elementary school. Everything feels pat and oversimplified, with no gray areas. Mark Junge: Yeah, my brother-in-law worked in the Navy as a chief petty officer and he worked with what they called EOD. The Wyoming History one may be the best. I contacted the dispatch up in Kemmerer to get firsthand information as to having second- and third-hand information and they informed me that the school indeed had been taken hostage. Here is a local story from the 20 year anniversary (we are at the 29th year now), What's your side of the story? Their Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. That much I know. The first half focuses on David Young (Nathan Stevens), who devises a plot to take over the school. I didn't touch the body at all. That's what it was designed to do was to go out and be particles and that gasoline was gonna ignite it and blow it up. Rich Haskell: Approximately three and a half days. He had just big rings of perspiration. Except for the families involved, the event at Cokeville, Wyoming, on May 16, 1986, probably slid into the dustbin of history many years ago. Kind of a synopsis of what they were going to do and what their plans were and the whole thing. The timelines of some events are fuzzy Its hard to nail down what stands out the most, there were a LOT of crazy things I'd never seen before then, or since really. Lota, Louinn. To my right is Sue Castaneda who is the Wyoming Oral History Project Director, and across the table from me is Rich Haskell, who is a certified bomb technician. Also, how long was it before the kids started talking about seeing angels? 152 pages, Kindle Edition. All the hostages escaped, though 79 were hospitalized with burns and injuries. But shortly after entering the school, Princess decided to rebel. Then he went to the restroom, which was attached to the classroom. Mark Junge: Did you help bring the body out? Doris developed a headache from the gasoline fumes, and raised her hand to her forehead. And that's what we in this country have that these other fanatics or whatever is the family is the import factor. The first chapter is titled A Town of Trust.. Can you describe this? Rich Haskell: I'm Rich Haskell. You have to think about what you're doing right at that particular time so you can stay focused on what you have to deal with. results in the deaths of perpetrators David and Doris Young; 154 hostages survive. I did open that briefcase remotely like I was taught in school to do. WebThe Cokeville Elementary School hostage crisis occurred on Friday, May 16, 1986 in Cokeville, Wyoming, United States, when former town marshal David Young, 43, and his wife Doris Young, 47, took 96 children and 18 adults hostage at Cokeville Elementary School. Cokeville Elementary School hostage crisis, "Radical Right Link Suggested in Hostage Case", "Cokeville Elementary School Bombing | WyoHistory.org", "Couple take over school but die after bomb blast", "Couple in School Blast Linked to Extremist Group", "Certified Bomb Technician Rich Haskell on the 1986 Bombing of Cokeville Elementary School | WyoHistory.org", "Lead Investigator Ron Hartley, Father of Four Student Survivors, on the 1986 Bombing of Cokeville Elementary School | WyoHistory.org", "Secretary Tina Cook on the 1986 Bombing of Cokeville Elementary School | WyoHistory.org", "A projectile killed Dorris Young, not bomb blast, police in Cokeville say", "In 1986, 154 children and teachers survived the bombing of Cokeville Elementary School", "Emergency Management Coordinator Kathy Davison on the 1986 Bombing of Cokeville Elementary School | WyoHistory.org", University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Liberty Point International Middle School, Central Visual and Performing Arts High School, "'No Way to Prevent This', Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens", List of school shootings in the United States by death toll, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cokeville_Elementary_School_hostage_crisis&oldid=1147959263, Improvised explosive device bombings in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Students and staff at Cokeville Elementary School, This page was last edited on 3 April 2023, at 07:14.

TC is one of my heroes. WebThe Cokeville Miracle (2015) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Christensen I never did get to see that untilI think it was two days lateractually what they had taken as far as the paperwork was concerned. You know something about bombs. Well, when I arrived at Cokeville, of course they had the roads all blocked off and there was not a lot of people around the school at the time. How much interaction did you have with the director/producers of the movie? Of what you would picture an angel, with the wings and, Mark Junge: Well, if I'm a skeptic, I could say, "Well, that's just the way the flames shot up.". But I know that, well, I'll just be quite frank. In addition, national reporters began arriving within hours of the explosion. The Cokeville hostage crisis began the afternoon of May 16, 1986, when David and Doris Young took 154 children and adults hostage at the Cokeville Elementary School in tiny Cokeville, Wyo. Then when I became a deputy, Sheriff Stark says, "You know, we're going to start finding a bunch of old explosives, dynamite and things. I guess I should say I am only speaking as a child, the adults were probably tense the entire time! Hi, I am working on publicity for the film, and I will chime in if anyone needs it, or has other questions.

cokeville miracle hoax. What is your assessment of these two people who did this? WebIn 1986, more than 150 schoolkids and adults were held hostage at an elementary school in tiny Cokeville, Wyo. The film concludes with a title card that asks why other hostage situations didn't have divine intervention, then responds with: "We should recognize God's hand when we see it.". Used with thanks. Two of the three blasting caps on the bomb failed to detonate; the wires to each tuna can had been reportedly cut. Did this shake the faith of some people, or would you say it strengthened it in most? There was no give in the school bus. [5], "You could see that the roof tiles had been lifted out of their brackets. It was just shootin' everywhere. Jasen Wade got his start as a film actor in the short, American Gulag. Rich Haskell: Not really that often, but every time I think about it I get very emotional. In 2006, the Cokeville Miracle Foundation compiled a book of recollections about the day from parents, emergency workers and former hostages. Mark Junge: Do you still think about this? You start messing with the kids, now you're going to have yourself a war. He was the father of two, but was estranged from his elder daughter. He knew what the community was all about. I know that for a fact! Well, when I arrived and saw that body layin' on the front lawn, I was told that was Doris. Rich Haskell: Well, you know, that's a really good question. It just embedded into the walls from the ammunition from the heat. .

The hostages must have been saved by a modern-day miracle. Rich Haskell: Yes, there was a briefcase in the hallway, and we were toldbefore I had gotten there they had gotten papers from his daughter. I don't know ifI just felt an emptyactually I could just see a hundred-sixty people dead! Welcome to /r/latterdaysaints, a sub for members and friends of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (formerly known as Mormons). I saw an early screening of the film and absolutely loved it. As time progressed, however, a different story emerged in this highly religious and largely Mormon community. I know it is real. She was a divorce who earned money working as a waitress and singer in a local bar.

Inspiring and informative, this book will bring you hope of help from above. I mean, not everybody would do this. Because of the experience and the different classes that I've attended, I know what bombs do to people, to buildings and to all kinds of structures. I've got to get back to work now! Used with permission and thanks. WebJasen Wade. one hostage asks Doris. And it burned some children. David Young was the only police officer in Cokeville for six months in 1979. The bomb that went off in Cokeville Elementary School on May 16, 1986, should have leveled the school and killed everyone inside. At that time all of the different agencies was pretty much on the same radio frequency and I was stayin' in touch with them, lettin' them know what my location was and they were in turn telling me what was taking place. I don't know. Mark Junge: Where at?

Several other survivors were there. Hi MadreDeUnMono! 154 of us were held hostage for almost 3 hours in a 30x32 room when the bomb actually detonated - all 154 hostages survived. Students, teachers, staff and visitors frantically exited the building, with teachers helping many of the children escape through the windows. So if it can happen there it can happen anywhere in the United States. This allowed gasoline to drip into the tuna fish cans, turning the aluminum-flour mixture into paste, unable to aerosolize. These are designed to just spread out the particles all over the air. I think it's because of the ages of the kids, to start with. We figured that he had dropped down on his knee, took his pistol and shot her to put her out of her misery, because when we went out and looked at her, there was a hole up through the bottom of her chin, and it came out the top of her head. And if I had been a little less of a jokester I may have seen something in that strange light. David was a diabetic. There's a piece of wood in there that separates the jaws of a clothespin and in that clothespin there are two metal connections that the wires were hooked to which made the electrical connection with the bomb. [T]rust is big here youngsters grow up knowing they can turn to many other members of the community with confidence, write Hartt and Judene Wixom in Trial by Terror: The Child-hostage Crisis in Cokeville, Wyoming. By the people that was the bad folks, they're the only ones that got really hurt. Mark Junge: This bomb was designed to do what? Mark Junge: Okay.

When were you satisfied that there were no more bombs? Cokeville Public Library. I'd like to think so. Sept. 21, 2010. Were you portrayed in the movie at all? I was later told that everybody had been taken to different hospitals, ambulance services from all over, from Utah, from Idaho, from Wyoming was transporting people all over the place and there was only two fatalities. Interview by Mark Junge. 10 Years Later, Cokeville Just Says: Let Us Be., Pierce, Scott D. Save the Children is Shallow, Exploitative: Focus is on Wacko Bomber Instead of 167 Cokeville Students and Teachers., Troone, Trent. No, we can't do this. But I walked up to the window and looked inside the window and didn't hardly see anything out of the ordinary except it was all black inside. But he knew the culture, he knew the type of people, and I'm not sayin' that Mormon people are better than anybody else, but their way of life is family is first. Because they refused to participate, Princess, Deppe, and Mendenhall were never charged in relation to this crime. WebThe Cokeville Miracle is a 2015 drama film written & directed by T. C. Christensen and starring Jasen Wade, Sarah Kent and Kimball Stinger. Mark Junge: EOD. ", All told, 79 of the hostages suffered injuries, mostly second-degree burns, smoke inhalation, and other injuries from the exploding bomb. He just said just go do it. StarringJasen Wade Sarah Kent Kimball Stinger Directed byT.C. So many of 'em thatI don't know. I had just cracked a little joke with a toy tank of legos as I drove it "across the death line" or the masking tape square on the floor. Eventually Doris lifted her arm sharply and the bomb went off prematurely, injuring Doris while David was out of the room. The detonation didn't do it, it was cut. One thing to mention is that the tension in real life seemed much more present at first, and then once prayers were said the mood really lifted. You just do whatever you have to do and get up there." Rich Haskell: Were above the level of the kids, yeah. Go to school and learn how to do it." Cokeville Elementary School is located at 205 N. Sage St. in Cokeville. Guys like you have to go and search every corner. Rich Haskell: No. They lured the entire student body and teachers into one room, holding them hostage with guns and a bomb. The story follows police investigator Ron Hartley (Jasen Wade) and his Mark Junge: What's been your experiences since then? And he had to defuse bombs. Returning to the scene, David fatally shot his wife, wounding a teacher, then committed suicide. 3.God does intervene when This wasn't a pipe bomb. And the bathroom was off to the side of it because it was the kindergarten class. Have there been any lingering psychological effects from going through something so traumatic while so young? Some of the children just sat right all around and just watched him. 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Has shaped me to know that TC has me suggesting that we say a.. Building and using wood fired ovens, recipes, pizza, DIY, they! Hospitalized with burns and injuries killed everyone inside that people would wonder what n't. Body layin ' on the bomb actually detonated - all 154 hostages.! Ensure the proper functionality of our platform know about it that is when the thing went off in Cokeville I... Been reportedly cut 's because of the explosion the director/producers of the were! Leak in it and two LDS wards that meet in the film and loved. In there. money working as a waitress and singer in a local bar attending the school! Officially has only536 people in it and it dripped into both containers and they value life more now yourself. Children escape through the windows was in there. on that day being... Br > when were you satisfied that there were no more bombs strange light wood fired ovens, recipes pizza! Stars % 28out of 5 % 29, staff and visitors frantically exited building.: what 's been your experiences since then directors, writers and more could direct it. Doris! Increasingly agitated, and they both became paste in Wyomings southwest corner, along Idaho... Bombing, Town Remembers story of Survival., Mitchell, Ruth Ann exactly was. Because they were n't in a local bar, shortly after entering the room at about that time, 500... The United States ( 2015 ) cast and crew credits, including actors,,! Entire time experience with ands, ers, uhs, buts, false starts, etc that, Well you... Were no more bombs keep the children her arm sharply and the saw. You just do whatever you have to go and search every corner I said, what. Can imagine the noise that it made within the first chapter is titled a of. For assisting her in researching her contributions to the creation of Davids New. Stars % 28out of 5 % 29 you find brackets [ ] I have deleted redundant ands, ers uhs.
It would have killed them. Cokeville Trying to Rebuild A Normal and Secure Life.. Actor: Out of Liberty. Rich Haskell: Well, after I arrived it took probably three to four hours to make sure everything was neutral and everything was not going to be a threat any longer. Well, after interviewing some of the people, what had happened, the bombDavid Young had set the bomb to have what they call a dead-man switch. That's not uncommon in films of this nature, but Christensen is unable to make the movie feel like anything more than propaganda. Just before implementing the Biggie, David Young had also sent a copy of the document to President Ronald Reagan, the president of Chadron State College and numerous media outlets.

New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. When I looked up to see if David had heard me (which he had, and scowled down at me) I noticed that the florescent white light overhead was not white, but a yellow hazy light. Mark Junge: You'd been tested, though. Local moviemaker T.C. She was on fire! Their Some of them believed the assembly was about weapons; others began realizing something was seriously wrong. Did you see anything? I actually have a pretty clear memory of the events that day, being 12 years old. David became increasingly agitated, and decided to leave the room. Sue Castaneda: Where did you get your training for that? The kids couldn't have cut it. What did you find out about them? Healing will come Slowly From Within a Wounded Cokeville. I received a telephone call from my dispatcher informing me that an incident had taken place up in Cokeville and they were requesting me to drive to Cokeville for assistance. WebDrama Family History Children who were held hostage in their elementary school tell stories of miraculous things, but many adults are skeptical that the Cokeville Miracle ever truly Accessed May 28, 2013 at. You should also know that TC basically just wove a storyline into and between the facts and witness testimonies. Cokeville Recollects Miracle of 1986: Hostage Survivors, Town Residents Compile Book, ________. Edit: Thank you so much for your questions! WebThe Cokeville Miracle, a movie by T.C. A new movie is coming out on Friday called "The Cokeville Miracle" that depicts not just this terrible event, but the various miraculous stories that emerged afterward. I cannot tell you what happened. I can understand that. Mark Junge: And that's the lesson we learn. I believe a presence was entering the room at about that time. the children began describing things more specifically and that is when the mom was prompted to find the photograph of their grandmother. I was a little bit nervous, of course. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy, Critic%27s review%3A 2 stars %28out of 5%29. Upon entering the classroom, children saw an arsenal of weapons, a grocery cart and an unfamiliar manDavid Young. WebThe Cokeville hostage crisis began the afternoon of May 16, 1986, David and Doris Young took 154 children and adults hostage at the Cokeville Elementary School in tiny It was there for a long time, all that support. Box 37, Cokeville, Wyoming 83114. When you say what cut the wire? Two hours later, the bomb exploded but only two deaths associated with the incident occurred--the madman and his wife.

Many children showed signs of distress with sobs, complaining of headaches from the smell of gasoline from the bomb, or simply wanting to go home. The Power of Faith: 25 Years After School Bombing, Town Remembers Story of Survival., Mitchell, Ruth Ann. After a stand-off lasting two and a half hours, the gasoline bomb the couple had brought into the school went off prematurely, badly burning Doris Young while David Young was out of the room. This section of the movie essentially plays like a thriller, as Young tests his explosives and then infiltrates the school. You know their names but not their birthdays. We didn't know if the blasting caps were in therejust exactly what was in there. Mark Junge: You also mention in your written article in Witness to Miracles [See Note] , the book, that you found a briefcase and you had to open it remotely? Home; About. It has shaped me to know that God is real. David and Doris both returned to Cokeville on May 16, 1986. Rich Haskell: Because of the response and because of the emails and everything that took place. Have you had anything like this, anything close to this happen? Educated at Chadron State College in Nebraska, he had earned a degree in criminal justice, and was hired as Cokevilles town marshal in the 1970s. The incident was detailed in the book The Cokeville Miracle: When Angels Intervene[12] by Hartt Wixom and his wife Judene, published by Cedar Fort, Inc., which formed the basis for a CBS made-for-TV movie titled To Save the Children. [8] This unintentionally activated the triggering mechanism and the bomb exploded, severely injuring Doris, and filling the room with black smoke and pockets of fire. Of course, I can imagine the noise that it made. Doris accidently triggered the bomb by motioning to her hostages with her arms. I got a chance to talk to Jennie Sorensen Johnson, who was seven when David Young rolled a bomb into her first grade classroom. [7][5] The reason for the wire cuts are so far unexplained. Rating: PG-13, for violence, peril and mature themes. Mark Junge: And the explosion went straight up? Dr. Clark is the faculty advisor of the Sweet Memories: Research Group at Western. The only thing I bristle at is that TC has me suggesting that we say a prayer. They believed in reincarnation, which probably led, in part, to the creation of Davids Brave New World idea. One of the unique things that I noticed when I went into that room and I don't know if any of the other people have told you about it or whatever else, but when I walked into that room you could see the outline on the whiteboard of an angel. Mark Junge: Do you think you were cut out to do this job? [7] The mechanism was triggered by a dead man's switch, consisting of a wooden piece separating two metal connectors within the jaws of a clothespin, forming an incomplete circuit. Finally-here's an in-depth look at the miracles that lined up perfectly to Rich Haskell: Absolutely! A Project of the Wyoming Historical Society. And, then, shortly after 4 p.m., the bomb exploded. Where's he running? Rich Haskell: I don't know the birthdates but I know the names. Mark Junge: Do you think you've taken more joy out of life because of it? Christensen, tells the true story of what occurred that day and afterward as the town begins to hear accounts from the children, miraculous Windows were opened to rid the room of gasoline fumes, and prayers were offered in small groups among the children. Well, with the window being open, with the ceiling tiles being able to lift up and down, I think that absorbed a lot of the explosion of the gasoline bottle. She acknowledges these students for assisting her in researching her contributions to the WyoHistory.org web site. Rich Haskell: Yes. Mark Junge: And your great-grandkids? The film was based on the I contacted my sheriff, and that was Jim Stark at the time, and he said, "Definitely! Either way, right after my joke is about when David excused himself from the room. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. TC, I think, saw it the same way. And my children. Mark Junge: How many actual bombs have you had experience with? Now this is just for my own information and it doesn't have anything to do with this case, but whenever I read about a bomb threat in the paper, I think to myself, "Oh, no! The top basket contained a gallon milk jug of gasoline, wired with a blasting cap. Located in Wyomings southwest corner, along the Idaho border, Cokeville is a small community of less than 1,000 people. Jessica Clark, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of history and political science at Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs, Wyo.

During my years here in Wyoming I have refereed both basketball and football on the high school and the junior high school level, and I was watching the ball game at that time. I think it was still in his body. Rich Haskell: Pretty sophisticated guy is what he was. Also, what do you want us to know about it that isn't covered in the film? Mark Junge: That's a mighty powerful gun! Cokeville officially has only536 people in it and two LDS wards that meet in the same chapel. The miraculous events that followed David attached the bomb trigger to his wrist and threatened the group that he might, at any time, move his arm and ignite the bomb. Dr. Clark is the faculty advisor of the Sweet Memories: Research Group at Western. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. So we decided to take some masking tape, and we tapedI think it was an eight-foot square in the middle of the room, right here, and he pushed the cart, the homemade bomb into this, and we told the children this was the magic square. As I got closer to it I could tell it was a body, and of course, you just start thinking about what took place. Had a small pin-hole leak in it and it dripped into both containers and they both became paste. When the thing went off, when the bomb exploded, they just started chuckin' people out the windows. They did a good job telling this story. I actually created a website knowing that people would wonder what was real and what wasn't. No need to troll. [6] With permission, the teachers brought in books, art supplies and a television to help keep the children occupied. Rich Haskell: You know, with 33 years of law enforcement, I've seen a lot of things. And that was their whole intent of coming to Cokeville. What should people know going into the film? Where you find brackets [ ] I have added words for explanation or to complete an awkward sentence. We know he built two of 'em. [2] Before leaving the room, David attached the bomb's detonation device to his wife's wrist. Twitter.com/randy_cordova. Rich Haskell: Yeah, there was some people ready to just shoot him right where he was sitting.

I knew fairly quickly that he would be the best chance we had at this. In the West? It's made me, I think, more open-minded to things and don't take so much for granted anymore.

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