The Breakdown with Shaun King

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 576 - Let me explain what "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" truly means. Feb 24, 2022

Show notes

Those words from Dr. King, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" is a life quote for me. I think on it daily. It has guided much of my life for the past 25 years. And for me, today, those words matter more than ever.
Can I teach for a moment?
Let me unpack and explain for you what I think these words mean. I hate war. I hate what Putin is doing right now to Ukraine. But I see a lot of people saying that none of us should even care. I see people saying the same thing about the horrible decision from the Governor of Texas to criminalize being a parent of a transgender child or teenager. I see people I know actually celebrating this decision. And I have to speak up on why this is wrong and horribly short-sighted. Because truly, "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
"You may see those situations, and think they have nothing to do with you, but when the rights and safety of some people are attacked and eroded, believe me, it's only a matter of time before yours are next.

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Ep. 575 - 4 reasons we should care about the conflict between Russia and Ukraine Feb 22, 2022

Show notes

All of us have a limited amount of emotional bandwidth to care about the dire conflict between Russia and Ukraine. I'm not asking you to become obsessed (I'm not going to do that either), but today I want to give you 4 practical reasons why you SHOULD care.

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Ep. 574 - White people are effectively banning their own discomfort all over the country. Why I think we should be VERY concerned. Feb 18, 2022

Show notes

One tool of the oppressor is to throw so much oppression your way that you can't possibly be effective at fighting back any of it.
For most of the past year, I was irritated by white people organizing to ban what they were calling Critical Race Theory, but I am already committed to so many other causes and fights that I just didn't have the time or focus to make that cause my own.
But here's the thing - they aren't actually banning Critical Race Theory across the country. They are banning the truth telling of Black history and American history - all because that truthful telling makes millions of white people VERY uncomfortable.
And they are winning. White people all over the country are, in essence, making their comfort into law. And it's an extremely dangerous precedent. It's not on the way to becoming dangerous. We're already there.
When white comfort becomes law, we should all be very concerned. I'll unpack and explain it.

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Ep. 573 - Israel's Apartheid Against Palestinians Feb 15, 2022

Show notes

Last week Amnesty International released a thorough and undeniable 280 page report in which they called Israel's treatment of Palestinians "Apartheid" and a "cruel system of domination" and a "crime against humanity."
And 2 things blew my mind.

The United States government, like the NFL did against Black coach Brian Flores, denounced the entire report before they even read it.
Many mainstream media outlets completely pretended that the report was never issued - in spite of it being viral across social media.

If you've ever wondered how such gross human rights abuses of the past 100 years happened right under the noses of billions of people, look no further. It's happening right now.

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Ep. 572 - Let me talk a little bit about love today Feb 14, 2022

Show notes

Happy Valentine's Day everybody! Listen - I know I'm a serious guy, but I just don't talk enough about love. It's such a HUGE part of my life. And today I want to talk about the love of my life and how I'm starting to reconsider something I've been telling myself for a very long time.
Also, today is the 3 year anniversary of The North Star! Our original founder is Frederick Douglass and he chose this day as his birthday. Most people didn't think we'd make it a few months. Very few people thought we'd make it a year, but I'm proud to say that we're still here 3 years later doing good work.

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Ep. 571 - Joe Biden just literally stole $7 BILLION from Afghanistan Feb 11, 2022

Show notes

What Joe Biden just announced today makes my BLOOD BOIL! Moments ago it was revealed that after Joe Biden ordered $7 BILLION of money that completely belonged to Afghanistan frozen, that he is now going to give it away to 9/11 victims and random charities.
Let me speak plainly. Not a single Afghan served as a hijacker on 9/11. Not 1.You know who did? 15 Saudis? And men from half a dozen other countries. But notice that they aren't having their assets frozen and stolen? It's despicable. And it's theft, plain and simple.
Not only that, but RIGHT NOW, in part because this money was frozen, Afghanistan is experiencing the single worst famine in the world. The entire country is in shambles.

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Ep. 571 - 2021 was the deadliest year for police violence ever measured Feb 10, 2022

Show notes

The Washington Post just announced that last year, 2021 was the deadliest year for police violence they've ever measured in the 6 years since they launched their comprehensive database.
It's catastrophic news that confirms our worst fears that mass incarceration itself is exploding right before our eyes. Police violence is but one reliable indicator of this.
Today I'll unpack and explain what this means and give some initial thoughts on where we go from here.

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Ep. 570 - No. Joe Biden DID NOT allocate $30 million for new crack pipes in the Black community Feb 09, 2022

Show notes

I feel crazy even having to say this, but if you believed the viral headlines over the past 24 hours that Joe Biden is giving Black people $30 million for new crack pipes, you have believed a lie.
Here's the thing - Joe Biden makes enough actual mistakes for us to critique. We don't need to make this up.
This past December, public health EXPERTS in his administration announced $30 million for VERY EFFECTIVE harm reduction programs in communities impacted by drug addiction and the opioid crisis. I've studied these programs right here in New York and they are saving lives and making a HUGE difference.
Lastly, that $30 million may seem like a lot, but when funding a national program, it's next to nothing. The federal budget funds TRILLIONS of dollars of programs.
Please be careful when sharing misinformation. It happens WAY too easily nowadays.

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Ep. 569 - What's truly needed are Black owned sports leagues Feb 08, 2022

Show notes

The hiring season for NFL head coaches is now over and ONE Black man ended up getting a job - Lovie Smith - who will be taking over in Houston for a Black coach that was fired after only one season.
It was thought to be one of worst 2 or 3 coaching jobs available. So now the NFL has 2 Black head coaches in a league that is 70% Black.
At the root of it all is ownership. The NFL doesn't have a single Black owner. In fact, in all of American sports, out of 100+ teams, only one majority owner is Black - in spite of Black people dominating the industry.
It's one of the greatest failures of integration. Brilliant black teams and leagues were destroyed - alongside Black owned businesses of every kind. Integration ultimately meant Black people integrating into white owned, white dominated spaces.

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Ep. 568 - Amir Locke is Why We Need a COMPLETE BAN on No-Knock Raids Feb 07, 2022

Show notes

Today on @TheBreakdown I want to give you two very important updates on the brutal police execution of Amir Locke and I want to explain why I still believe a total ban on no-knock raids, which are banned in almost every developed nation in the world, still makes a difference here.
I see a lot of people saying they don't care if no-knock raids are banned or not because police will still be brutal. I understand that level of frustration. No single solution to police violence will solve the WHOLE problem, but it can solve SOME of the problem. Without no-knock raids, Breonna Taylor would still be alive today. And Amir Locke would as well.
We can't reject some fundamental solutions because they aren't all-encompassing. Do I want to solve the whole damn problem? OF COURSE I DO, but the whole problem gets solved policy by policy, position by position.

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