Some rock center friends that really want to keep the race thing alive. Because my skin is black mentioned so many times I could not count. Have you thought that the cop might be just as scared to pull you over and walk up to a window of a strangers car . You have your freedom, and a African American president that many white people voted for so get off the race card please. I will never watch rock center again.

Some rock center friends that really want to keep the race thing alive. Because my skin is black mentioned so many times I could not count. Have you thought that the cop might be just as scared to pull you over and walk up to a window of a strangers car . You have your freedom, and a African American president that many white people voted for so get off the race card please. I will never watch rock center again.

So incredibly sad to hear the personal accounts of subtle and not so subtle racism this segment exposed. What's in going to take for society to climb out of it's prejudices and become an actually enlightened civilization? A million years, when we're all similar in color? Why wait? God gave us a brain for a reason.

It is interesting how the media enjoys the promotion of racism when a young black man is murdered.

Where were the rallies, the government officials televised show of support, the national media attention and interviews for Channon Christian and Hugh Newsom Jr. or Eve Carson, all who were kidnapped and brutally murdered by young black men? Channon Christian and Hugh Newsom were so heinously raped and tortured, that death was their only escape from these vicious animals. Read about their murders, it will make you physically sick.

Rock Center interviewed their African American co-workers so they could promote how they are the victims of prejudice, yet they did not interview their Caucasian staff for their real thoughts about young black men and crime.

I starting watching the program last night and got about 3 or 4 minutes into this segment when I felt an overwhelming sense of nausea come upon me....

This was the most pathetic news segment that I've seen in a long time and pretty much rendered this show impotent from this point on. You have GOT TO BE KIDDING me with the utter nonsense that was blathered about by these once credible Journalists.

Shame on you for airing such GARBAGE!

It appears that most of these folks forgot to grow up and realize that not all humans are perfect. Get over it for crying out loud. Move on & man up. Quit your whining about things that happen mostly in your own mind. What an unbelievable demonstration of pathetic wimpy liberal BS!

Grow a pair and get a life like a real person instead being a twit that feels something is owed to you because you suffered some self created slight in your life!

Rock Center aired some serious crap last night!

I am angry about this topic on so many levels. When I heard the initial story I wondered how a man got away with shooting another man without any charges. Race didn't play in my mind. This wasn't necessarily racially motivated. We don't know what happened. But what we have now is a president weighing in on it because of race and now newscasters who are supposed to be objective and report facts are going on and on about how hard it is to have black skin. I grew up in a racially divided town with a white father and black stepmother. I was not welcomed by anyone. At one point I was the only white girl in an all black school. I was scrawny, sick and poor. Do you think I was greeted with milk and cookies. No, in fact I was bullied. My books and coat were stolen, thrown on the ground and stomped on. I have lost a lot of respect for the president and the newscasters of NBC. You didn't have to poor gas on the fire. You just make it worse for the next person like me that pays for something I had nothing to do with. So I ask, is it ok for me to hate all black people because of the torment I suffered- no of course not- that would be racist.

Raised in Long Branch race was never much an issue except on TV in the as I lived in a small town. But I did wonder while traveling to the south why people were having a picnic around a tree what a man was hanging from a tree. But life changed for me when I went for my first job and I was told by the boss " we don't hire N". It was a shock and I really didn't know how to feel but it sound like the hate I heard from the people I watched on TV. Well that was over 50 years ago and like those who spoke last night I also saw things hadn't change. I have a high school friend and we have been friends for 53 years and she's white. So one day we tested racism at a store in the Mall. I went in and you betcha a lady followed me and everytime I looked her way she move alittle. Behind me came my friend JoAnn and she picked up a skirt and walked to the exist door with no one saying a word as she stood outside the store the lady asked me if I needed help but I told her she might want to check on the lady outside with the skirt. JoAnn walked back in and yes I did buy a blouse and I told the manager how the store might want to try looking at all people because black people are all criminals and while you security was watching me my friend walked out without a problem with a skirt. Yes we learned some things haven't changed but we now are old enough to know racism is done by ignorant people who need to feel their better then others. Much is seen today with the jealousy of a black well educated President. All the candidates have degrees yet don't know much as we have heard. President Obama must be tired of first educating the press, then the people and finally the Law Makers before giving a speech. I laugh at how little Americans know about the US History. One Law Maker called Obama the first black President and didn't know Obama is the 7th biracial President the US has had. When you don't even know about your own countries history it shows why the education rate is so low. I enjoyed visiting Canada and England where clearly there was a difference as more like that Dream of equality Dr. King spoke of. I do see the current and future generations have little to no interest in the old time USA racism but a few young people are now being taught.

No Doze, why was it pathetic to listen to people talk about their life experiences? Somehow you think these accounts aren't related to this incident? How naive of you to think that race doesn't or didn't play a part in this whole thing. And to furhter think that americans, aren't having these same conversations in their homes, workplaces and schools. THAT is what the media should be covering - issues that everyday people are facing. If you think that we're not facing this issue, you are not in this world, you are in your own. Would you tell other minority groups to stop crying and get over it? I wonder if your comments would be the same if the segment was about gay or women's rights.

Scarlett 2, if you felt strongly about those horrific crimes, and I think they are horrific, you should have rallied like the people that feel strongly about this one. Let's not pretend that this country hasn't rallied about every type of injustice there is. If you don't feel compelled to take a public stance on an issue, don't fault those that do.

Luckypup, funny how once credible reporters swiftly become uncredible when they talk about what it is to be black in this country. How's that? "You have your freedom and an African-American president"? so problem solved, huh? The fact that your statement even hints at the fact that there was once a time in this country when black people did not have their freedom, speaks volumes. Furthermore, the whole point of this story is that this country, especially those that think like you, are not that far removed from that time in our history. Somehow you want it to be forgotten and never spoken of. All the while people like Trayvon, the NBC staffers and millions more, still walk the street hoping that they can just go on with their lives without being noticed or seen as a threat in everything that they do. Your response to that is - get over it.

This segment was not garbage, pathetic or an attempt to "keep the race thing alive" You dont get it, this segment is about the fact that the race thing never died!

Thank you NBC and its staff, for taking therisk to put yourselves and the truth out there knowing that some would recieve it this manner, and doing it anyway.

I live in chattanooga TN, last year on Aug 4th at 1:15 pm i was driving down I75 In my 2002mustang convertible with the top down ( not a new car but a nice car ) when i noticed two hamilton co police cars, one beside me & the other behind me then they turned on the lights & sirens forcing me to the side of the road..One officer walked up on the driver side & the other on the passenger side, officer watkins asked to see my license registration & insurance. I handed him my license & insurance card, then told him i would have to get the registration from the console, he said ok i twisted my body toward the center of the car & reached for the latch on the console thats when the officer on the passenger side took his firearm pressed it to my skull just behind my ear & started yelling get you're God Bleep bleep hands up, then officer watkins dragged me from my car placed me in handcuffs then made me sit on a guard rail. They asked me if i would consent to a search of my vehicle & i said sure if he could give me proof of why i was pulled over & being treated this way, he said that he clocked me speeding with his radar gun, then i asked to see his radar gun then i would give my consent. That is when he told me F YOU i will just get a warrant with a k9 unit. That was when he tightend up the latches on my handcuffs & place me in the back of his car for well over an hour (windows up ignition running air conditioner off in august) k9 unit arrived with a warrant searched my car found nothing, then he started questioning me, saying i threw something from the vehicle...8 officers are there at this point & they all looked at his in car video & not one would agree with him on seeing me throw something out...What i found out later was that a mustang convertible with no conformation of tag number or year of the vehicle, was involved in a drug transaction..I was cited for doing 65 in a 55 & no proof of license( he lied about that on both counts ) with a summons to appear in court the 20th of august ..I asked him why was he doing this & that i had done nothing wrong, he said that he had to give me a citation for something & that he was going to use those 3 weeks to investigate the matter further & if he found anything that he would file the citation with the hamilton co court clerk, but if he didn't then he would not file it & i would not have to appear in court.....He never found anything because there wasn't anything, but i went through 3 weeks of hell.....BY THE WAY, I AM A 38 YEAR OLD WHITE MALE...We live in a class society more than anything..If you have money or power then you don't have to deal with this shi#..

I logged in to leave a perspective that I thought would be unique. Clearly, I am not alone! Do I believe Mr. Zimmerman should be arrested, tried and held accountable for the tragic death of Trayvon Martin? Absolutely. Do I believe this was a racially-motivate crime? Perhaps. But does this mean that African Americans are to this day a persecuted American minority? I don't believe so. When I watched your nicely produced montage of well respected African Americans reflecting on the trials and tribulations of being black, it enraged me! I am a middle-aged white woman, raised in California, and when I walk into department stores I, too, feel as though I am being watched. I'm always careful to be exact about opening my purse to retrieve my phone or wallet, just so no one thinks I'm stealing anything. I'm conscious of video cameras and security mirrors in drug and convenience stores, wondering if they will "catch" me doing something that appears to be suspicious, even though I've never stolen anything in my life. And as for putting your hands on the steering wheel when pulled over by officers...that's standard procedure! I have never had a major traffic violation but once I was pulled over in a sting operation. I had my 3 children in the car with me, ages 13, 7 and 1. The officer asked me for my proof of insurance and when I couldn't find it she immediately started harrassing me, threatening to arrest me and take my children into protective custody if I didn't produce it. Another time, my 16 year old son was practicing his music at 3pm in the afternoon, in our own home, and a neighbor called to complain. When the police came and my son answered the door, they immediately began harrassing him, saying his eyes indicated he was "high" when in reality, my son has never used drugs or alcohol at all. He has a neurological eye condition known as "Nystagmus" which causes his eyes to 'vibrate', and this is what the officers were seeing. They never gave him the chance to even explain...they just judged. It happens everywhere, to everyone; black, white, Hispanic, Asian, rich, poor, foreign and familiar, and to play the "race card" here is missing the issue. What happened to Trayvon Martin was just wrong. Period. Not because he was black, but because he had the right to live his life without wrongful judgement, without harrassment, and without fear, just as every American should have.

Let me just say I am a 41 year old white woman. I am a single mom of 2. After watching the show I was amazed that their life experiences where similar to mine. When I was 16, my white friend and I were driving and got pulled over. This was the first time we had got pulled over and where scared. I immediately whet for the registration in the glove box while she went for her license in her purse. The officer drew his weapon and started screaming get out of the car. We could see him trembling and thought he was going to shoot us. We had no clue what we had done wrong. After things settled down he told us Rule #1 NEVER take your hands off the steering wheel. When my son, who is white, started driving that was the first thing I told him. He has been pulled over several times at night for no reason. I call it the "teenage male driving at night check." He has never got a ticket because he hasn't done anything wrong but he still gets pulled over. I am only prejudice against bad people and it turns out they come in all different colors, shapes, and sizes. I believe hate is taught and we as a nation continue to teach. But prejudice is everywhere, not just blacks but homosexuals, over weight people, woman and everyone else and I believe it is fueled by the media. I heard on the radio they had a new survey about how a woman's hair color predicts her personality. It turns out that if you are a red head you have a bad temper, is that true? I have a bad temper and I'm blonde and not stupid. I have a group of black teenagers that hang out in front of my apartment. When my 6 year old went out to play they told her she needs to play somewhere else. I told them that she was only allowed to play outside our door and that since they didn't live here they needed to leave. These kids where only about 15 or 16 years old and proceeded to cuss me out. This was not the first time I had encountered a problem. I had to call the police on them twice before for fighting. The police do absolutely nothing when they come. Pretty much say leave if you don't live here. Finally I got fed up and did the one thing I was terrified to do. I went to find their parents and tell. The reason I was so terrified is because I'm white so I must be prejudice. I kept on telling myself that if it were my child I would want to know. After tracking down all the parents and explaining the situation, my life is better. All of them thanked me for letting them know, the kids got grounded and are not allowed to hang out at my house. It turns out that we, all races, are not that much different than each other. All we need is good parents to raise good kids and a TON of COMMUNICATION!!!

Onnie's Thought...You sound just like a racist! That show last night was awful!

First, prayers go out to all the families involved! At this point, no one knows for certain what happened. I know that this is all I have heard about! I do know that there was a white man burned to death by 5 black males and you have not heard about that on the news. Maybe because you don't have Al Sharpton running to their aid. He calls himself a reverend. Then you have Jesse Jackson that calls himself the same. They both are so racist. They make me sick! They really need to grow up and stop keeping race an issue, because that is actually what they do. It is pathetic how NAACP runs to the rescue and pulls the racist card. Why is there a such thing as a NAACP? No other race has that type of organization, and if they did they would be called out as a racist. NAACP keeps racism alive. There are people killed everyday by different race. Thats just the world we live in.

As for the segment with Rock Center last night with the African Americans that are high profile news casters made me sick. The producers of this show, should feel shame. Things like this keeps racism alive. Why don't they show everytime a white is killed by a black......Point being they are making it about race and that is racism.

News media is truely the enemy sometimes. They speak out without even knowing the truth. Whatever you think will boost your ratings. Well Rock Center, I hope no one watches your show again. I have friends and loved ones of every color. I think it's time for the real racist to get a life and it starts with the NCCAP, Al Sharpton, and Jesse Jackson! Look around, you live in neigborhoods, work with, go to church with, hang out with, watch play sports on TV, role models, CEO of the bigggest companies etc of African Americans, who are wonder men, women, and children. Yet, it's people like Al and Jesse that keep things stirred up! WE are one in Christ! Christ sees no color AL and Jesse!

If a young black man walked into a convenience store wearing a suit and tie, I would think, good for him, if he walked in wearing his pants to his knees, showing his underwear, wearing a hoodie and acting like a Gansta, I would be afraid of him.

If the police were following most anyone, they would be nervous with raised pulse and heart rate. Race would have nothing to do with it. When pulled over, ANYONE over, they SHOULD have both their hands on the steering wheel and answer yes Sir, and no Sir, out of respect for the police.

Yes, there is racism in our country, but if we keep talking about it, it will never go away. Thanks Rock Center, for keeping the topic alive. I have to think, if this kid was white, would the media keep it alive? I'm so disappointed in Brian Williams and his network for stirring up the race topic and keeping it alive. Slavery was abolished in 1865 but you would think it was yesterday. Fast forward 147 years and the president of this country is black. Let's move on and quit dwelling on it. I didn't see any worthy benefit of watching this program. Guess I won't any more.

This is a tragic case definitely! We do not know the whole story yet. What also is tragic is the one sided personal stories the NBC friends shared with us. It hard to sympathise with any of them. They are very successful and professional people who are well off. Tamron Hall the NBC news anchor who acted as if she has it so hard when she goes out is really hard to believe. Has she ever thought that just maybe when she goes shopping and a security guard may look at her is only because she could be recognized for her status, or because of her own beauty??? Her own fathers advise to her brother about keeping your hands on the wheel of his car when you get pulled over, is good common sense advise for all races! Nobody wants to hear that these same things happen to white people, and all people for that matter. The race card has been beaten to death over the years, that is what also is tragic here.

I don't see how any of you all posting these comments can justifiably do so without having lived as a young black man in our society. Look at the statistics of how many young black men are incarcerated, how men young black men are unemployed, compared to all the rest of us, how few there are in colleges and universities compared to all, and how few are offered the same opportunities that many of us are.

We all have our own perspective, but to not live and experience this kind of thing, day in day out, how can you say what you say and judge the people interviewing in the segment? The problem here is an astounding lack of compassion in our society, the unwillingness to see what it could be like to live as another individual. Until we are all capable of doing this there will be this continuous struggle, racial divide and total inequity.

Oh, and by the way...racism is alive and well, here in the US and all over the world. THAT'S why we need to talk about it.

This report has had me aggravated all day. How dare these reporters, they should be ashamed. First of all I feel that Tamron Hall and David Wilson have created this perception in their own minds. After listening to these two, I was so mad I had to turn the channel. I don't believe that for one second this woman was followed through a department store. I also think that David Wilson just wanted to talk because people are not afraid of black men they are afraid of thugs that make it a point of antagonizing people and P.S. thugs are black, white, hispanic, asian, and every other type of person. I live in Memphis and this has to be one of the most racist places in the country and it's white, black, Hispanic, Asian, and so on. For Memphis this news is a daily expectation. I have actually heard today that black people can't be racist because they are black. I am not racist and I try to take everyone as they come. When are we as a nation going to stop this nonsense, this reporting is what creates and forces racism to continue.

This story was so biased and completely unbalanced! It made me sick, Every one of the black professionals in this episode expressed how white people took them for
criminals. What NEEDED to be said to put their opinions in focus and balance the story of why whites sometimes view black people with suspicion was a quote that the Reverend Jesse Jackson once admitted:

“There is nothing more painful for me at this stage in my life than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery—then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved.”

This quote so poignantly puts into perspective all the emotions, fear, anger that your black professionals expressed, that black people scare other black people, for the very same reason! With the leader of the African American movement making an honest statement like this, we can understand that someone who is obviously not racist is scared of black people in certain situation. This fear of black people in society is only perpetuated from the violence and crime that their culture foments. If you don't want people to look at you with suspicion and fear, stop perpetuating these stereotypes.

The Martin case is an ironic moment in history. It is reminiscent of the South 50 years ago where if a black man killed a white man, a mob would form and want to lynch him,but his time instead of whites wanting to lynch a black man, black people are
forming rallies to evoke hate (without facts) and form a lynch mob to get a white (Hispanic) man.

MSNBC I wish you would revisit this story with this Jesse Jackson quote. PLEASE be balanced in your coverage!

Amplify: Yes racism is alive and well but does this type of report help or hurt the situation?

This is a tragic case definitely! We do not know the whole story yet. What also is tragic is the one sided personal stories the NBC friends shared with us. It hard to sympathise with any of them. They are very successful and professional people who are well off. Tamron Hall the NBC news anchor who acted as if she has it so hard when she goes out really is hard to believe. Has she ever thought that just maybe when she goes shopping and a security guard may look at her is only because she could be recognized for her status, or because of her own beauty??? Her own fathers advise to her brother about keeping your hands on the wheel of his car when you get pulled over, is good common sense advise for all races! Nobody wants to hear that these same things happen to white people, and all people for that matter. The race card has been beaten to death over the years, that is what also is tragic here.

l have an Afican-American called Mac. I'm caucasion. Years ago we were discussing my credit card. I mentioned that I'd never been question about it. He then told me that he had often been questioned about his. I'm white, he's not. Made me embarrassed. I'm younger, but it's okay for me? What Bull!

l have an Afican-American called Mac. I'm caucasion. Years ago we were discussing my credit card. I mentioned that I'd never been question about it. He then told me that he had often been questioned about his. I'm white, he's not. Made me embarrassed. I'm younger, but it's okay for me? What Bull!

I'm not so foolish to take race totally out of this, but I don't think Zimmerman set out to harm anyone that night. In the 911 recoeding, when asked about Martin's race, GZ stated after describing the close worn by Martin, "I THINK he's black". As 911 tries to get more info, GZ says, now he is checking me out and walking toward me. Then you hear "he IS black". Then GZ said now he is running. 911 asks "are you following him right now?" GZ says "yes" then he is told "ok, we don't need you to do that." The responce was "OK" by GZ.

Here is where people go off the deep end and say he kept chasing Martin, catches him and cuts him down in cold blood. Well that settles it he is guilty guilty guilty! I have trouble with the masses thinking they are right, and denying what the investigation was showing.

For instance, the new video of GZ at the police station. He's not hurt he looks just fine and the cops are lying! Or, was it just as the police put in the report; Zimmerman refused to go to the hospital for treatment but he did allow paramedics at the scene to treat him. It makes it very possible the first aid at the scene cleaned the wounds to better examine them. There would be no visible blood showing on the video.

For years there have been documentaries, one after another, showing the strugles of Aferican-American young men growing up in this day and age. They have to fight to get anywhere in life. A young white male has know idea what demands they don't face all because they are white. The contrast of peer pressure between the two is night and day.

GZ's account of that has to be possible. 1, when GZ was told they didnt need him to follow Martin, he states ok. Meaning he could have been heading back to his car. 2, TM states there is a man following him. This young athlete wasn't able to get away and shorter, heavier GZ ran him down? Maybe when Martin looked back to see if he was still being pursued, he decides GZ gave up scared and is retreating, so I'll put this guy in check so he knows I'm no punk. When he reaches GZ he has no idea the man armed and trys to teach a lesson and it all goes bad.

I am not trying to say anyone deserved to die that evening. Just the opposite is the case. I am trying show that it is not a cut and dry case. Anything is possible here and it's only when the investigations are complete that we will know the truth about that night.

I thank you for doing such a moving and insightful piece. It's rare that we see such honest and heartfelt examinations of issues these days. It was brave of the people featured to tell us their experiences and I feel fortunate that I got a glimpse behind the curtain and a view of what they live. I take to heart the biblical pronouncement that you should "walk a mile in their shoes" and i just got a chance to do that. Thank you. On the other hand many of the comments posted here show that we may not have made as much progress as we like to think we have. It's very sad and it must be disheartening for these people featured in the segment if they happen to read them. I think this pretty much sums up what we are living through- an inspiring piece followed by dispiriting reactions. But I guess it gives some insight into why there are people like Zimmerman.

I just signed in to thank NBC for what I thought was an excellent, heartfelt, personal account of a real problem. This piece elevated the national dialogue. Thank you! I see that I'm echoing Art525's well-articulated sentiments above. I don't know to what extent racism motivated Trayvon's killer mention, but he did mention that Trayvon "looked suspicious," so I would argue that, if not racism, there was at least a pre-judging based on stereotypes. We have a long way to go to embrace *all of us* as part of our human community. Thanks again to all involved in creating the piece.