If your government decided to make magic illegal, would you still study it? Teach it? Discuss it? Perform it?

I might consider going from virtual pacifist to violent anarchist.

Seriously though, absolutely. Civil disobedience, fully support it, as long as you are not harming or aggressing against anyone.

Not if the penalty was something medieval like water boarding.

Or being forced to listen to Barry Manilow.

If they make something like magic illegal, then they probably don't really care if you actually commit the "crime" or not, they'll likely punish you either way. So if I'm going to get punished for something, then at the very least, I better have enjoyed actually doing what I'm accused of.

Do underground magicians believe magic is illegal?

Secret, 'underground' magic performances.

I'd go full jester. Paperballs over the head, sucker tricks, scams and such, and I'd go overboard with anti-establishment satire.

Life on the edge.

Well, it very well might be. Presumably if things got so extreme that magic was off-limits, then free speech would have probably been a casualty a long time earlier. The satire would have to be old-school, not-exactly-sure-it's-satire satire.

I'd change countries.

They can have my wand when they pry it from my cold dead fingers

I had told my ex wife once that if magic were outlawed I would keep doing it. I still would even if all the props and decks of cards I have were taken away from me every time I had a coin or any small object in my hand(s) I would make it vanish or something. I would do T&R paper, Anything I desired I would do. I would do magic with any everyday object I do now. NO matter what the punishment maybe. I would even run from the hobby police if I had too. When it comes to My magic. I don't care what any government may want. I will do it when I want My ex also asked once if our religion said I had to give up magic would I? I lied and said yes just so I wouldn't have to listen to her, and her mother.

Nothing could make me practice my Magic more than making it illegal.
Iven

If I studied children's magic, would the punishment be "no ice cream for you"?

What if the New England Journal of Medicine published a study showing that performing magic was unhealthy?

Let's face it. Most of the best things in life are "unhealthy" or "Imoral".
Iven

Slippery slope ahead warning! Slippery slope ahead warning!

?

I'm trying to get out, how important is this art to us, that's all.

Without knowing the consequences and risks of what you put to us there is no answer as there is nothing to weigh the reward against. What is the penalty and risk of getting caught this crime and what do you mean by unhealthy? We need to know such actors before we can weigh it up and give a reasonable answer in all things we do. You can careful yourself out of crossing the road. Is it worth it? Life is a risk.

Now that ain't working, that's the way you do it
Let me tell you them guys ain't dumb
Maybe get a blister on your little finger
Maybe get a blister on your thumb