I am a 25 year old African American woman in Omaha, Nebraska. People act surprised that I am single without children and I have a college education. I have encountered people including blacks that have low or no expectations of me. When I go into department stores I am often followed, even though I work everyday and have never stolen anything from anyone. I have gone to the grocery store on the first of the month and was asked if I would be paying with my EBT card.

I know racism is still an issue in this country; it's a virus so we cannot get rid of it, but we as individuals can treat the symptoms and make our nation an example to the rest of the world.

Higher education still does not undo the long historical relationship of racism and America. Many people cite affluent blacks(Condi being one herself) as a source of relationship change because they are products of ivy leagues and this provide all other blacks with the same option; saying such comments on reveal someone true inner racist thoughts. Both Wright and Condi words are important because it reveals that America isn't perfect but because we gloss it over with you have rights and we are free - you have no right to complain. We are doing ourselves and the future of this country a disservice. The fact that we cannot have a civil discussion about race in America just means that we haven't come that far. Just because blacks are superficially "treat" better or there appearance from chained naked slaves has improve does not mean that we have come a long way from the issue of race.

Don't forget, this country's early economic power base and wealth was built on the backs of slaves, there is no way that racism and Jim Crow wouldn't effect the entire country.

Was it easier to live in other areas besides the south, of course it was; but there were still issues of race to be dealt with regardless of where you were geographically if you were a person who was black, mexican, asian, or anyone of color besides of European decent.

However, the old adage of it's not what you say...but how you say it hits home once again. It's a sad fact but the truth of our society today in being PC.

What either Rice or Wright says about racisim, black culture, what we talk about and what we don't is not a shock to us as blacks. What is a shock is that we still don't talk about "it" at all, and that's why it's shocking to most Americans because they haven't had to care! Well, "The Chickens have come home to roost...and their talking now thank God!"

-Marvin Wadlow Jr

I hope more people will learn more about Trinity and its former pastor Rev. Wright, watch the other sermons available from the church's YouTube channel and the blog truthabouttrinity and learn that a minute or two of soundbites strung together cannot sum up this
former marine and his 36-year ministry who built a tiny struggling church into a congregation of 8,000 with an amazing array of faith based programs to help a struggling population on the South Side of Chicago.

For those who keep asking about the children hearing the sermons they can feel assured that there is a children's worship service just like in many churches. The kids are not with the adult congregation during the sermons. On the subject of the N word, I think there is a BIG difference in calling someone a N and talking about people having been called a N.

I have a niece that is a drug addict. She is always pulling the sympathy card. She says her mom & dad abandoned her when she was just a teenager. They did, and shame on them,but it was HER choice which road she went down. She could have come to live with her grandmother, but she chose the easy way out. She chose to not work, stay high all the time, and steal to support her habit. Her brother chose a different path. He has a job, wife, 3 beautiful children, a member of a local church and he is a volunteer firman/emt.

It's not about RACE!!!!

She had to send people in to spy on what he was doing to find out what was going on. He probably knew that if she knew more about the faulty data and facts, she would have put her foot down as head of the NSA and demanded more time to verify the facts and joined Colin Powell in his reservations.

The most qualified opinions get maneuvered out of the way – isn't that today how the subtle forms of discrimination work? And the people who it happened to – they don't dare acknowledge personal events that may have impacted their own career as racist or sexist – because to do so will disqualify them automatically from future opportunities. But they do walk with their feet, and it's worth noting that Rice and Powell now seem to have opted out of politics. Even to say what Rice said shows courage.

Whites are shocked by black racism and black anger? I commend Obama staying in dialog with people who shared these views even if he didn't agree and he knew the political risks. That's the only way racism will end – someone has to facilitate the dialog.

What would show real courage is if McCain would go to these churches and speak, but we won't see that.

Obama 08