>> absolutely, and as we're saying with black lives matter, they're moved by all of this. and he threw the >> the second largest school system in america. lisa stark's in washington with that. lisa. >> well, john the department of homeland security issued its first terror bulletin. meantime, the head of the fbi said the couple behind the

attacks of san bernardino were are know not part of a terrorist cell. the head of the fbi discounted reports that the shooters, syed farook and tashfeen malik, pos posted messages for terrorist attacks on social media. >> we saw no evidence of posting on social media, reflecting their commitment to jihad. >> the san bernardino shootings have left americans on edge. the department of homeland security is now modifying its terror alert system. an attempt it says to better communicate the kind of threats americans now face. >> in my view, it highlights the new environment we are in. which includes the very real prospect of terrorist-inspired attacks, that can happen with little or no notice.

>> reporter: after the 9/11 attacks homeland security used color coded threat levels. that was replaced in 2011 with the national terrorism e-terrorism advisory system. te. a bulletin when threats are more vague. the first one issued wednesday says, "we are in a new phase in the global threat environment. with self radicalized individuals. it advises the public to watch for signs of radicalization and report anything suspicious. >> if you look at the bulletin there is nothing this that bulletin that the american public hasn't already been told a thousand times, right? there's nothing new, nothing

actionable. >> jonathan katz calls the new bulletin a marketing move. >> it's a feel-good trying to show the american public that they're doing something. >> a new poll by the pew research center says 27% of americans say terrorism combined is the biggest threat. confidence has fallen sharply, 46% are reducing well the terror threat, lowest since 9/11. underscored fear justified or not has consequences. have and the asked about the public's apparent lack of confidence in the government, johnson says every day, officials are keeping people off of airplanes and doing things that the american public don't

really know anything about. john. >> nerve gas would be used in what the center called a jihadist attack. l.a. officials say hoax or not, the threat was hard to ignore. rroxana saberi reports. >> every threat magnified. both los angeles and new york city schools received what has been described as osimilar e-mailed bomb threat but the two districts made very different decisions. l.a. shut down. 2700 miles away new york city did not. >> as leaders, it is our job to protect public order.

and to keep things moving forward in this city. and to certainly not aid an abet those who want to so panic. >> security experts say after an incident such as paris there is an increase of chatter worldwide and increase during holiday period. >> in apart because of malicious pranks terse and others in favor of the terrorist group add their own noise to the volume. >> reporter: as for bomb threats in schools they are not uncommon. the department of homeland security even has a cheat sheet. if the threat is called in, ask the caller what kind of bomb there is, is the caller angry or calm, are there background noise he? running down threats involve time and manpower. >> sometimes it's more difficult than that. if the threat comes from abroad,

it tends to be taken more serials. seermsz. seriously. >> it's rare for one who plans an attack to give a warning. intelligence officials say a threat cannot be ignored especially in today's world. >> real terrorists can exploit existing fears and try to crank them up even more with messages, and when they can, with real life events. that's the reality of the coming months. >> roxana saberi, al jazeera. >> former congresswoman jane harmon served as the top democrat on the house intelligence committee. now the president and the ceo of

woodrow wilson center in washington, d.c. congresswoman welcome. thank you for joining us. >> thank you john. >> so james comey says there's no evidence that the san bernardino shooters were part of any i.s.i.l. cell, trying to inspire attacks using social media, is the government, the united states prepared to fight that effectively? >> i think we're doing that pretty well. a few slipped through, the boston marathon was one, this was one and one in the south recently. in san bernardino, all levels of law enforcement came together quickly to prevent further violence and find out exactly what happened. that's what we heard from fbi director comey today. >> and comey talked about bulletin that was unveiled, one that warned specifically about self radicalized actors that

could strike public events and places without warning. how is that going to help? >> if people are prepared number 1, they can figure out the car is smoking, the time square foiled plot, and whatever, and report it before it happens. but even if they can't report it before it happens, they know exactly what to do and will be less terrified. this bulletin system, also with a fancier name, that has just been rolled out by the homeland security department, is designed to be a more effective warning than the last warnings. the previous was color coded, red was worth, orange was below. and shades of yellow? i was on homeland committee, he seemed to be resemblin resemblin

interior decorator rather than a homeland security chief. but jeh johnson hopes people will be prepared. >> there's been a great deal of debate about muslims in america, about american muslims and whether or not they should have closer scrutiny. how important have muslims been to uncovering terror, possible terror attacks or terror cells in the united states? >> well, if i could, let's start with what is america? america is a collection of immigrant groups. there have been muslims in america forever. and we should make clear that they are welcome. to be in america for lots of reasons. one, it's a value that we hold. and two, in terms of getting muslim communities to cooperate with us and protecting muslims who are in our military, this is a point lindsay graham keeps

making. from discrimination and harm. we have to welcome muslims. and so i'm for that. i'm totally against keeping muslims out. in some ways being punitive against muslims. if there's information about specific muslims or specific christians, jews, atheists or sikhs or whatever, yes, we should pursue that according to the law. you ask me whether cooperation from mu muslim groups has made r country safer? in many cases it has. we talk about the failures in the media, we don't talk about the successes. and by the way, some of those successes can't be talked about because it would reveal some of our trait craf trade craft and t want people to know how we foil plots. i can tell you from my experience in congress and some other reports that cooperation from muslims have been very helpful in rounding up people who were intending to attack the

country. >> congresswoman its good to see you fen. thank you very much. again. thank you very much. >> you too john, take care. >> last debate of 2015 for the republicans. in vegas there was no shortage of stharp exchange sharp exchane candidates. david schuster has the report. >> john, most of the candidates were back on the campaign trail, the third most watched debate of the year and when strategists didn't feel anyone broke out or broke down. >> ruling out an independent presidential campaign, donald trump closed the door on playing spoiler next fall if he is not gop nominees.

bolster trump's gop sport and the highest impact development of the night. nix inext on the list, trump's n in tone with ted cruz. trump called him unqualified. >> the way he's dealt with the senate where he goes in there like a -- frankly a little bit like a maniac. you're never going to get things done that way. >> radio host the were not happy. >> a maniac? i think that's loose verbiage which i don't think advances the ball by trump. i think he's best when he goes against establishment candidates. >> trump praised the senate outsider. >> over the last three or four days, he has a wonderful temperament. he's just fine, don't worry about it. >> and trump fawd with je foughb

bush. >> i'm at 43, you're at 3. >> doesn't matter. >> most important clashes of the night were between ted cruz and marco rubio. both are 44 years old and have emerged as the top gop trump alternatives. >> do people rule out those in this country already? do you rule it out? >> i have never supported legalization and do i not intend to support legalizization. let me tell you why you do this. >> new jersey governor chris christie whose numbers have also been rising tried to promote his foreign policy toughness. >> i would talk to vladimir putin a lot and i would say to him listen mr. president, there's no fly zone in syria. you fly had it applies to you. we would shoot down russian planes if it thought the same

feckless president we have in the position now. >> i think if you're in favor world war iii you have your candidate. here's the thing -- not someone who is so reckless as to stand on the stage and say yes i'm jumping up and down and i'm going to shoot down russian planes. >> despite the harsh verbal attacks, all are expressing satisfaction with the debate. donald trump seems particularly happy. his declaration is getting widespread praise seven weeks out from the iowa caucuses. >> john talked to michael shure after last night's debate. what did they say? >> good evening, john. it was an interesting debate as

it pertained to that. during the debate it didn't come up in a direct way. he said woe ban muslims from the united states. he got consternation from his party and from the democrats as well. after the debate because it wasn't spoke terribly much in the debate, we got to talk to him, ali velshi and i, he was talk in the spin room but also something to say about muslims directly. here is donald trump. >> we all know this. as you know i have many great great muslim friends, these are amazing people, incredible people. they called me some of them, not all of them, some were not so happy. many called me said, donald you have done one of the many services. by bringing it out we can actually solve the problem. there is a problem with a certain small group and we have

to get that problem solved. are because that small group can cause tremendous havoc. you've seen that. muslim friends of mine who are phenomenal people they have said to me, you have done up such -- and these are really successful peek by the way. you have done us such a tremendous service because people i love the muslims and i have so many unbelievable relationships. >> have any of your friends challenged you at all? >> some were really happy, we have to discuss the problem. >> and do you think there's a way of getting that problem solved without being so strident? >> yes, but we have to find out where the problem comes from. >> trump had to answer to us. he didn't have to answer to too many people on the stage john. both cruz and rubio went after him and said it was impractical or basically unamerican. but in the spin room he didn't have to answer it too much.

john. >> all right michael, thank you very much. secretary of defense ash carter met with iraqi officials. so far iraq has been reluctant to accept a greater u.s. presence. jamie mcintire has more from the pentagon. >> john here is a phrase that kept coming up during carter's visit to iraq. we want to accelerate but with iraq's permission. we want to do more to help but iraq's response was basically, we'll get back to you. ash carter's helicopter had to skirt some bad weather around baghdad. but when he met with his iraqi counterpart, he launched into his pitch that the united states wants to see more progress on the ground. >> united states is eager to

accelerate victory over daesh in iraq. it will be your victory and your advance, to look at opportunities increased opportunities at your request with your permission to assist you. >> carter has been pressing iraq to accept more help from above, more apache attack helicopters, to accommodate ground troops. secretary carter described his meeting with hardy hard haider s basically fm positive. >> the prime minister did not make any specific requests in connection with helicopters which you mentioned in connection with ramadi. however we did discuss the possibility that circumstances in the future might cause our commanders to advise and his commanders to advise, and him

therefore, to approve, us doing more things. >> fighting in the key iraqi city just 70 miles west of bagzf baghdad has intensified as force he are closing in on an estimated 700 i.s.i.l. fighters still holding the city center. tempered somewhat by what the top u.s. commander says is incremental but significant progress. >> although they have their own ways of doing things and it may not always be our way it is in the end becoming increasingly effective as they push the enemy out of that very important city of ramadi. >> reporter: while many in congress continue to call for more boots on the ground iraq remains resistant to a larger u.s. footprint. secretary carter's plan for a larger role of united states

forces also got rebuffed. on the spott spot advice an offe iraqi prime minister promptly declined. >> declared in the first freddy gray manslaughter trial, we'll have a live report from baltimore. chup. >> this actiochangeup.fest. >> this marks the first change in nine years. >> replies after the attack. we return to san bernardino where the muslim american community remains wary and worried.

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baltimore. james porter, the first of six tried for the death of freddy gray. john terret is in bloar baltimo. what was the result? >> reckless endangerment awhat happened next is a small protest outside the courthouse, turned ugly, with traffic blocked for a while. trying to get into the court building. that protest died pretty quickly but continued in the courthouse and city hall area where we are no. early this evening. the mayor of baltimore, stephanie rawlings blake. >> 12 baltimore residents answered that solemn call to hear this case and made a decision. they did that and we have to

respect that. if we think the process can be able to continue in baltimore city, we have to respect that verdict. justice is not a verdict, justice is a process we have to protect. >> and more monthl mollifying w, thanked the jury for their hard work and said there are many bumps on the road to justice. john. >> so it appears there will be another trial right john? >> seems the state is determined to go after porter, and judge barry williams brings all the parties together. there's not much time between now and christmas and the new year. it's interesting because the next trial in the sequence of six is due to start on january the 6th. you got to believe that the officer porter trial will come up at the end of the next five, which means this city will go through this until nearly next

summer. john. >> big changes on chicago's police force, including training better record keeping, federal oversight. after the 2014 police killing of michael brown, the doj found rampant arrampant misconduct. privileges like phone calls contact with other inmates, about 4,000 state prisoners are in solitary confinement at any given time. nationwide the number of inmates being executed is declining fast, so far this year, 28 inmates were executed down from 35 last year. and the lowest number in 24 years. the number of defendants being sentenced to death is also down to the lowest level since the

early 1970s. a new poll says most americans gray with a ban on assault weapons. 53% are against the restrictions, it's the first time in 20 year history of the poll that a majority of people oppose such a ban. margo, given that poll and the difficulty that groups like yours have had trying to get congress to take some action, do you have much hope anymore that there's ever going to be any change in the united states on this issue? >> yes, i absolutely have hope. and i encourage others to have hope as well. >> when you encourage people to have hope, let me just try to be

very frank here. based on what? because it seems clear, i mean, there have been the shooting after shooting. president of the united states has stood up and said congress needs to do something. and yet nothing seems to happen. why the hope? >> well, for the first time gun safety regulations has become part of the presidential campaign. and i think that that's very important. i also think that when people hear the facts, that over 550 children have died from gun violence since sandy hook. that's one every other day, that they're mobilized. mobilized to vote, to be single-issue voters. and i'm hopeful, and i encourage others to be. >> but how do you fight the nra, which gives millions and millions of dollars to people in the united states senate, and

congress, how do you fight that kind of money? >> with our votes. and people have to understand that they need to become single-issue voters. all of the other issues that we vote on, our rights, none of those matter if we're dead. and i think people are starting to get that. i mean, when you can't go to the movie theater, when you can't go to church, or your mosque or your temple to pray, when you can't go to a is shopping mall, when you can't send your children off to school in the morning and know that they'll be coming home in the afternoon, people care and people will vote. i think everyone is pretty tired of this. and refuses to the held hostage anymore by really a very small militant group of people in the united states. >> how do you explain that poll? how do you explain that poll?

>> well, you know i haven't seen the specific way the question was asked but i really think that -- >> you know what the polls show. >> well i just disagree. i deal with people all the time. i take calls from parents around -- from around the united states. who ask me every single day, what they can do. and how do they talk to their child about this? and they're ready to make change. and i believe they will. >> we'll see whether you're right margo. it hasn't happened so far. nice to see you, thank you very much for joining us. coming up tonight on this program, san bernardino backlash. the fear within the muslim community in southern california. plus raising interest rates. how soon it will take americans to face the crunch in their wallets. after this.

>> hi everyone, this is al jazeera america, i'm john siegenthaler. >> faith and fear. bracing for a backlash after san bernardino. >> do i have family members and good friends who have issues and are being threatened. >> muslim and american, in a climate of fear. rate like, the fed raises interest rates for the first time in years. >> i think the federal government needs to wait until the labor markets become tighter. >> some say the economy still

isn't ready. how a campy sci-fi flick became a multimillion dollar juggernaut. >> two of the nation's top security officials address terrorism threats. bulletin warns of nonspecific ongoing threats. dhs probably issued the first bulletin after the news conference and fbi director james comey was in new york to talk about security issues facing security and the nation. following mass shooting in san bernardino that let 14 dead, for mumuslims in southern californi, there is ongoing fear. en jennifer london has the story. >> i'm a attorney. >> i'm a certified nurse

assistant. >> i help those in need. >> they live and work in southern california's inland empire east of los angeles. they're professionals, caring citizens. husband he and fathers. they're also muslims. shocked that a terrorist attack happened in their community. while at the same time, facing fears that an antiislamic backlash is brewing. >> i do have family members and good friend who have had issues and been threatened. there's this horrible political environment that's taking place. and that does spill over into our personal lives. >> attorney todd gallinger is talking about donald trump's campaign stop. >> donald trump is calling for a total and complete shut down of muslims entering the united states until our country's representatives can figure out what the hell is going on? >> so we wondered what would

happen if trump's call to ban muslims became a reality? what would be lost if an entire group of people were suddenly shut out? health care providers, attorneys, social workers, religious leaders, gone. >> the idea of it is ridiculous. but even ridiculous ideas can still be dangerous. >> mark manley is the leader at the american muslim center. >> if you took donal donald trus comments and that actually happened, what would this world look like? >> what if there were no mexicans or jews, it would be incomplete. >> although the size of the muslim american population is difficult to measure in part because the u.s. census doesn't track religious affiliation it's estimated california has the

nation's largest muslim community accounting for 1% of the state's population with the majority living here in southern california. what if healthcare worker david williams who also volunteers to help feed the homeless, wasn't allowed into the united states? >> that's something we offer, for number one reason because we care we're human beings but that our faith teaches that. >> but what about obad mohammed helping needy people? >> we're out there average person trying the go to work, school, provide for our families, for the community and do what we can in this world. >> reporter: back at the middle ground muslim center mark manley offers his afternoon prayers. he's unapolapologetic about his

faith. >> i think we should stand up not just for selfishness of protecting ourselves but seeing when we do we're protecting some other group in the future, not someone who wants to live in fear. james brown said it best, i'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees. >> jennifer london, al jazeera, california's inland empire. >> welcome. some people who i've talked to say this isn't really about donald trump but about a group of people in the united states that really are afraid.muslims. how do you react to that? >> it is, for a lot of american muslims i've spoken to, this is the worst we've seen the antimuslim reality in the united states. >> how do you measure that? >> in the incidents of hate

crimes, actions against mosques, civil rights groups, the number of incidents on a daily basis, more than that not just sentiments on the margins, it is the people at the head of the pack aren't just condoning this, they're encouraging it. if you look back to after september 11th, george bush goes out of his way to say this is not about islam or the west against islam, that absent maybe rand paul or jeb bush in last night's debate, that fear is gone now. >> you have anger and fear on the part of muslims in this country, as well, yes? >> you have anger and frustration, i don't -- i don't know if i'd say fear yet. i think people are concerned. i don't think they're afraid at this point, they are just worried about where this could be going. >> death threats for a number of

prominent muslim americans, some of them on our program, who have described it. they're scared -- they're worried, concerned about their safety. so i guess, the question is what do you do about it? how do you put -- how do you put this back together again? is it possible? >> i think it is. and one of the things we have to remember is yeah, we're talking about donald trump and antimuslim bigotry. but the same country that elected barack obama. bernie sanders gets more supporters, he doesn't say the same obnoxious things, he doesn't get staple coverage. what muslims need to be doing -- >> let me stop you. on the other hand, you have reports every day about what i.s.i.l. is doing. you have san bernardino. >> sure. >> you have, you know, they're not widespread but they're individual incidents of muslims, either muslim americans or those

who come to this country. spewing hate on the other side. >> oh, absolutely. these extremist groups are offensive violent and dangerous. but the way we respond to them determines whether or not we will are successful in countering them. one attack by a group that claimed to be affiliated with i.s.i.s, that's not totally clear now, the entire fear is reduced to one group. we're not talking about climate change or income inequality. the whole republican debate was centered around what do we do with i.s.i.l. the same eangs tha answers thats into iraq in the first place. we know these extremist groups are dangerous and want to harm us. but when jeb bush says, i.s.i.s.

is an existenc existential thre? they're not an existential threat. >> haroon it's great too see you. a way to fund the government until next september and avoid another shunt. shutdown. mike viqueria breaks it down. >> good evening, john. it's become somewhat of a holiday tradition in washington. they'll put it off until the end of the year and then negotiate a massive spending package and put it on the floor of both the house and senate for votes at the very last minute. this year however there is something different and that is this massive spending bill is the product of an old fashioned compromise. after weeks of brinksmanship, both sides have used what has

become known as a dirty word to compress this, compromise. >> that is the compromise we have. >> 40 year ban on exports of american crude oil, an effort to find new majority for a resurgent u.s. oil industry, oil shock of the early 1970s. many say the ban was never effective, and with a worldwide glut of oil lifting it won't do much to lower the price at the pump now either. >> i doubt you wo would see theo down more than two or three cents so it's a wash. >> extended tax credits for energy in wind and solar. federal funding for planned parenthood,ing groups who accuse

the group of selling aborted fetuses will continue. republicans came away with nothing. in the wake of recent mass killings democrats pushed for gun control measures. they too came away empty. >> compromise doesn't mean anyone is doing away with their principles. but you can't be bullheaded and have to be reasonable in what they're doing the accomplish their goals. >> the $1.1 trillion measure includes health care for first responders and workers who spent time on the pile, the pulverized pile of ruin after 9/11. many experts and advocates including jon stewart, lobbied, and resulted in increase in case he of cancer and lung disease. not everyone see the bill as a

victory. civil libertarians, and president obama's spokesman claimed victory and said the president will sign the measure into law if it passes coming. >> the president is pleased with the final product even if it does reflect the kind of compromise that's necessary when you have a democratic president negotiating with large majorities of republicans in both the house and senate. >> reporter: and john, keep in mind that neither the house or the senate have voted on this bill yet. if things set on track the house of representatives is set to vote on friday, democrats are very upset about the lack of debt forgiveness or debt assistance for puerto rico, there's some worry whether this bill will pass in the house of representatives.

john. >> thank you mike. the federal reserve has raised interest rates for the first time in almost a decade. >> earlier today the fed decided to raise the target range by one quarter percentage point, bringing it to one quarter to one half percent. >> janet yellen, announced the raise. beth ann bovino, senior economist with standard & poor's, welcome. >> great to be here. >> worst kept secret in the world, everybody knew it was going to happen. >> i see it as a vote of confidence that the u.s. economy can manage a small shock but a shock nonetheless and continue to strengthen. >> it seems for a while this country has been afraid of rising interest rates and what

impact it would have on regular folks. what impact will it have on regular folks? >> separation anxiety, everybody likes cheap borrowing. >> of course. >> it's going to cost a little bit more, homes are going to cost a little bit more so are cars but we're talking about 25 baips anbasis points and even iy move to 1.25 by the end of next year, we see it as very, very slim. >> many on wall street have been complaining that it's too little too late. is it too little too late? should the fed have been more aggressive? >> no, actually i would disagree with that. i understand everybody's got an pine but when you think of it, inflation is rather, rather low and if the fed moved too fast, that would be pushing even further we would end up looking like japan. >> so for homeowners who have a mortgage what's it mean?

>> for homeowners, 25 basis points, little more to interest rates if they have them. if they have a fixed mortgage doesn't matter. but those new buyers, i bet you they will jump into the market a little bit sooner. >> so good for sellers? >> they say interest rates going up down the road, better move now before they go up even further. >> cheap money has been good for small business in america. does it squeeze it now? >> it's at the margin, people are going to be squeezed but we are not talking a tectonic shift here. from near zero to -- >> but next year. >> 1%, 1.5, the fed would normally bring rates down to that level. so i i see it's a normal recessionary trend now the fed. >> you don't feel it's a big deal? >> i think it's a step in the

positive direction. that the fed feels the economy is stronger. it's got to go away sometime. >> the fed sees that but a lot of american people don't see that and aren't feeling that. you get the indication that this really has no impact on the american people or very little impact and what impact it does is negative. is that unfair? >> well, you know what i see is that yes, there are people that are going to be squeezed at the margin but we're also seeing jobs coming around. we're also seeing wages pick up. right now we have 230,000 job gains per month for the year. wages are climbing up to 2.5 per year and we expect at s&p that they are going to climb higher. and that paycheck will make them feel better. >> not just for the short term but the long term? >> i think it is the statement of the economy that the economy could absorb this. the fed wouldn't do this

otherwise. >> beth ann, good to see you. good to see you. >> my conversation with transgender lauren foster. >> i feel like i'm just another girl. people look at me, as that transperson. >> why she believes caitlin jenner does not represent the trans-community. >> and marketing everything from cereal to clothing.

>> lauren foster is one of the first transgender models to pose for vogue magazine. after 30 years later she continues to reach the community with her blog, just another girl. we began by discussing caitlin jenner. >> the most significant event in the past year has been probably caitlin jenner. i'm not really sure i like all the attention that's been brought.

>> why. >> you know i'm just as my book and my mibt as just anothe websr girl, i feel like just aol another girl. now people look at me like that trans-person and i think that's kind of unfair. i'm just a woman, i'm not trans-model or trans-celebrity or trafn trans-person, i'm laur. my father when i was about four, we would go to see watch him play cricket and after the match my brother and i would run onto the pitch and he would throw us into the air and we would scream and would i go back to him back -- i would go back to him to the change room. i remember smelling the musk of men and i had like a panic attack and realized that i shouldn't be there. like something was wrong.

and at that age you don't know what it is. but you just know that it's wrong. so i ran out of the locker room to my mother and i say i have to go home i have to go home now. she says what's happened? i said nothing i just want to go home. from that moment on it's changed to me. i looked at myself and want myself to change. >> you made your transition and you became a model. >> uh-huh. >> a vogue model. >> correct. >> did your employers know? >> my employers in south africa knew. when i modeled for vogue they did not know. i don't know if they even know now. >> why did you keep it quiet at the time? >> i didn't want to jeopardize my career. >> you would have been fired? >> would i not have gotten campaigns or jobs. and actually a photographer did out me, he sold my story to

reuters. >> back to caitlin jenner, full circle. she's changed the discussion in many ways. >> she has. >> she has brought it to the forefront. >> she has. >> you're concerned about it, it's not the focus you want, why? >> i just think that it makes people look at us differently. it changes the landscape of it. you know, i always think of myself as being at this gender impasse of x-x and x-y. >> it's a syndrome that you were born with yes? >> i had klinefelder's syndrome. >> what doe does that mean? >> i have one chromosome off the middle. it makes you look at life id. >> if it has been, how difficult has it been to be transgender in the world that you live in?

you live in miami? >> i live in miami. i don't feel it's been difficult for me. >> there have been many in the transgender community that have faced suicide and difficulty with drugs and their own head. and clearly the result of some of the horrible things people have done to them. >> i feel empathy for them. the suicide rate is 40% in the transgender community. that's outrageously high. four out of ten try ocommit suicide. yet again, they show if you have the love and support of your family and friends that rate drops astronomically. >> is that what happened to you? >> my family were fully supportive. my friends were fully supportive. i was very blessed. >> good luck with your book, your website, and thanks for coming on. >> thanks so much, i really

appreciate id. >> coming next on the broadcast, star wars mania. not just the film, but the merchandising that's become a part of american culture.

>> the new star wars film may become the biggest blockbuster of all time but the box office is just the fraction of the revenue for george lucas, the star wars empire is expected to generate millions due to a deal years ago. turned george lucas into a legend. from the magic on screen to the money he's making off it. box office alone has brought in $4.3 billion. digital, dvd and vhs sales, another $five billion. books, video, 3.5.

but what changed everything, merchandise licensing. back in 1992, lucas secured the rights from the studio, as he told the american film institute, the studio didn't think much about them. >> the studio says, licensing isn't worth anything, nobody's been able to do licensing, i was in there to market tee shirts and posters. >> mugs and miltens have been sold, in the name of star wars. the toys and collectibles have made more than $10 billion. revenue from toys and games 1.5 billion. lucas whose salary for the first star wars film was $150,000, is now worth 3.6 billion and his wealth will rise this weekend.

a mogul who changed the industry with a savvy business sense. considering what he has done maybe lucas deserves his own action figure. oh wait, there is one. that's our broadcast. thank you for watching. i'm john siegenthaler, see you tomorrow. ali's next. >> i'm ali velshi. toorktoorgtd tonight, the"on ta. the federal reserve acts. in a world that seems