The Breakdown with Shaun King

You can't make this up. The NYPD failed in its most basic duties on every level of this mass shooting, but somehow found a way to act like they solved it. They damn sure didn't. Let me unpack and explain how it all went down. In fact, victims might be suing the NYPD for their gross incompetence Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As I recorded this podcast, 24 hours after the mass shooting in New York, the perpetrator is still on the loose a dozen people are still in the hospital, and the city is dealing with the real trauma of it all. And what has become clear is that it was a catastrophic security failure for the NYPD - not one of budgetary needs, but of extreme incompetence. They have a budget of nearly $11 BILLION per year - the most in the world, but nothing they did worked yesterday - and the man appears to have caused this carnage and simply walked right off of the train. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I planned on talking about something totally different today, but while I was prepping for the podcast, a mass shooting happened on the subway train in Brooklyn. I'll unpack and explain what we know so far and put it into context with what it means to live in one of the most violent countries in the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week police in Grand Rapids, Michigan shot and killed a young Black man named Patrick Lyoya - a Congolese immigrant and father of 2 young girls. Both the family and a local county commissioner who saw the body camera footage have said that police put a gun to the back of Patrick's head and shot and killed him execution style. I believe them. Of course, police and prosecutors are stalling by refusing to release the footage, refusing to name the officer, and giving that officer and others time to scrub their social media history, and get their lies together. It's despicable. I think this is going to be a case that is going to shake the nation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am nothing but elated over the confirmation of the brilliant Ketanji Brown Jackson onto the United States Supreme Court. It's a huge, historic deal. And we should celebrate. Period. We also need to understand that she is about to walk into perhaps the most conservative Supreme Courts in the entire history of this country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On April 4th, we ran a classic episode from our friends Allan Boomer and Tiffany Hawkins of The Momentum Advisors titled "Is Your Money Racists?" I need a couple more days to recover from my recent neck surgery so the team at The North Star is going to run a great action oriented follow-up to that Episode. We hope you enjoy! The terms "ESG", "socially responsible" and "impact investing" are ongoing buzzwords in the financial services industry. But what does it all actually mean? Regardless of the confusing industry jargon, the essence of it all is aligning your portfolio with your values—without sacrificing returns. More than that, it presents greater opportunity for you to see stronger returns. On this episode, we teach you how to do it whether you're dealing with a financial advisor, HR department or you self-manage your investments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yesterday, I not only announced my next book, a memoir called Lemons and Stones, I also announced that we are launching our own fully independent Black owned publishing company, The North Star Publishing. Today I want to unpack and explain why we're going this route and what it means for us. It won't be easy, but nothing worth doing ever is. Let's GO! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you contribute to your retirement savings do you know what your investments are contributing to? Are your investment dollars circulating wealth into the communities that matter to you the most? Unfortunately, the answer is probably: NO. And the worse news is that your retirement and investment dollars are likely supporting companies and institutions that would rather support immigration, prison complexes, racism and excess gun usage before supporting people that look like you. In this takeover episode we ask you the question ‘Is Your Money Racist?’ and then provide you with the tools on what you can do about it once and for all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yesterday we shared our first 5 ways to defund the police and make America safer at the same time. Today, we conclude with the final 5 ideas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For today and tomorrow's episode, we revisit episodes 287 and 288. In them, Shaun breaks down a list by Alex Vitale on 10 ways we can safely defund the police. Alex Vitale is one of Shaun's favorite scholars in the country on how and why we must defund the police. Of the 10 ways Alex suggested that we defund the police, Today Shaun breaks down the first five. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For today's episode, we revisit our 33rd episode. In it, Shaun King breaks down Joe Biden’s comments from 2019 defending his 1994 Crime Bill. To understand what the implications are of defending this bill, Shaun needs us to understand that mass incarceration in America was designed and planned to criminalize Blackness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yesterday Joe Biden announced that he's asking Congress for $32 BILLION more for American police in the name of fighting crime, but here's the thing, they don't need even $1 more. They are swimming in money from coast to coast. The NYPD alone has an annual budget over $10 billion - which is more than most countries spend on their entire military. And here's the thing - America's safest neighborhoods and safest cities are NOT safe because they are swarming with police. They are safe because they have great jobs, great wealth, great homes, great schools, great health, and treatment for drugs and mental illness. So PLEASE stop calling this man your uncle. While he REFUSES to prosecute serious cases of police violence, he's about to pour more money into oppression than any president in the history of this nation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Description: Yeah, that happened. It was real. And today I want to ask some hard questions and share some concerns I have. People have breaking points and you don't know when they are going to reach theirs, but when they do, it might be ugly. I am deeply afraid that everyday people are going to try what Will tried, but find out that they will actually go to jail for it and that people will normally punch or shoot back. Some people are saying this is what it looks like to "protect Black women" and others are saying this is not at all what that looks like. I'll unpack that. When white people do something crazy, stars or otherwise, white people rarely absorb it as being something that represents the whole race of white people. I don't know what it's going to take for Black folks to get to that point, but it needs to happen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I'm going to be a bit nerdy/wonky and talk about metrics, by asking the question of "How do we measure success for Black America?" What are the outcomes and numbers we should be able to agree really show whether or not we're moving in the right direction as a people? Is it home ownership? Is it college education? Is it the number of people killed by police or incarcerated? Is it wealth? I can think about 100 things I wish we were routinely measuring and fighting for. But what if we all just agreed on 5-10. What would they be? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today is a super short episode of The Breakdown. WAY too many of us are saying Kamala wrong (I'll pronounce that for you today as well), but let's take 10 seconds to learn how to say and spell the name of the new nominee to the Supreme Court - Ketanji Brown Jackson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yes, it's exciting that a Black woman could be on the Supreme Court, but for many of us in the justice community, NOTHING is more exciting to us than the fact that she is a former public defender. I'm all for ethnic and gender diversity, but America's courts also need an essential type of legal diversity that is woefully missing. The overwhelming majority of judges in America are former prosecutors and see the whole system of justice from the lens of mass incarceration. That's why our organization, Grassroots Law, has fought hard for the past 18 months for Joe Biden to appoint as many former public defenders to judgeships as possible. Having that experience completely changes the way a person sees the criminal and legal system. While I have 101 strong critiques of Joe Biden, one victory that I feel very good about is that he is appointing, for the first time in American history really, a plethora of former public defenders to essential positions. It's a big deal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nearly 4 million women and children have now fled Ukraine as refugees - including tens of thousands of African students that barely escaped the war. And as colleges and universities have started to open up their doors, it struck a painful nerve with some. Let me try to unpack and explain this, because 2 realities are true at the same time... African refugees fleeing war need a safe place to live and continue their education AND... It's VERY frustrating how few scholarships are available to Black students and families here in America and it stings to see how easily costs could be forgiven when African American students are drowning in student loan debt or can't afford to go to college at all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After being accused by dozens of women across the country of sexual misconduct and assault, the Cleveland Browns just made Deshaun Watson the highest paid player in the NFL. I have some thoughts. Let me unpack and explain the case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s throwback episode of The Breakdown, the final episode in a 3 part series explaining the leading Supreme Court cases that make police brutality functionally legal in the United States, Shaun gives us action steps and solutions for how we make police brutality illegal. It won’t be easy or quick, but it’s necessary. If you haven't already, go listen to Wednesday & Thursday's episodes to hear part 1 and 2 of the series! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yesterday on The Breakdown, we went all the way back to our 12th episode where Shaun began a series on the legality of police brutality. Today, we bring you part two of that series. In it, Shaun unpacks the Supreme Court case, Graham v. Connor - and explains how it is now used alongside of Tennessee v. Garner to protect police from being held responsible for their brutality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For Today's episode of The Breakdown, we are going way back and replaying our 12th episode. In it, Shaun King begins the first of a 3 part series on why police brutality is functionally legal in the United States by unpacking the Supreme Court cases that currently protect even the worst officers in cases of police brutality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The world can be an ugly place, but when that ugliness comes, I have some measure of peace because I'm consistent in what I speak out. I can speak out on the war crimes of Putin and Russia because I also speak out on the war crimes of the United States. But that's because I have a worldview - a philosophy - a guiding way I see and interact with the world. And when you don't have one, you ultimately allow other people, particularly the mainstream media, to determine what you should and shouldn't be concerned about. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today is the 25th anniversary of the tragic murder of Biggie Smalls. And I just want to reflect on how special he was, how much I loved him growing up, where I rank him as a rapper - and I want to dream out loud on who and what he would've become. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yesterday Mitch McConnell announced that he is going to block something that was WIDELY expected to have bi-partisan support. During the pandemic, a policy was enacted to pay for school lunches across the country. It's popular from coast to coast with conservatives and liberals alike. And Democrats wanted to renew it. But Mitch shocked everybody and said he's blocking it. Let me explain what's evil AND brilliant about this. It's evil, point blank, because it's going to deny school children equal access to lunch. But what's brilliant, in the most nefarious way about this, is what I think is a central organizing principle of Republicans. They don't give Democrats ANYTHING. And ultimately stretch Democrats so thin, making them fight in so many battles, for even the most basic scraps of government, that they never really get to fight for deep systemic change. Ultimately, even though Democrats control the House, Senate, and Presidency, conservatives are still setting so much of the domestic agenda from day to day. Let me unpack and explain it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Charles Ryan did something that would be a literal death sentence to every Black person in America. After a 911 call was made of shots fired, police in Tempe, Arizona showed up at Ryan's home, only for him to point his loaded gun straight at them. Instead of killing him in a hail of bullets like police did to Amadou Diallo for showing police his wallet, police didn't fire a single bullet at Charles Ryan. They didn't put their knee in his neck. They didn't Taser him. In fact, they didn't even arrest him or take him to jail. Instead, they took him to the hospital for a cut on his hand, and then literally released him back to go home. The very thing that police tell us over and over again that they just couldn't avoid was not only avoided with this white man - he's been given VIP treatment to this very day. Police CLEARLY know how to be patient and methodical. They just have to want it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Without a doubt, Russia is committing thousands of war crimes against Ukraine. Any common spectator understands this. But right when the United States could desperately use moral authority to call out these war crimes, the world is reminding the US that it, too, has committed war crimes with impunity for generations. Today I will speak on this painful truth - and discuss the interconnectedness of how horrible decisions made by the US government from its founding until today makes it nearly impossible to then call out other superpowers with any measure of seriousness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You've recently heard me say many times the words of Dr. King that "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." And I believe our grave inconsistency with this, where we ignore some injustices like they don't even matter, harms us all. I am against police brutality EVERYWHERE. I am against mass incarceration everywhere. And ultimately, that helps us fight smarter and better here. But sometimes, when violent men create war, and war crimes, I have to pause or slow some of the core work I do, to try to help refugees, widows, and orphans that are truly in duress. It's a part of my faith. A duty. A sacred obligation that I've carried my entire adult life. Today I'll break some of this down and say more about our work helping African students and immigrants fleeing Ukraine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today is abbreviated episode of The Breakdown as we rush to help African students and immigrants who are either stuck on the Ukrainian side of the border or virtually lost on the other side once they've crossed over.We're hiring several African students who've crossed over to help us build a database of those who need help. And we're partnering with several brilliant NGO's and donors who will help us with housing and transportation from there. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over 500,000 refugees have now fled Ukraine in just the past few days alone. In a country that is 99% white, it came as a surprise to many of us to learn that tens of thousands of African immigrants were living, working, and being educated there - and were among those attempting to flee to safety.It was, then, a deep disappointment to see those African immigrants, many with infant children, in freezing cold temperatures, being mistreated and denied an opportunity to flee.Three days after those first videos emerged, I'll unpack and explain what I know, and tell you why I am hopeful that things will be much better from here on out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Early this morning it was just announced that Judge Kentanji Brown Jackson will be Joe Biden's nominee to the Supreme Court. Of course, Republicans won't make it easy, but she should be fast tracked to the court. She's not a radical. Trust me, I'd like to see that, but she was the best choice among the finalists Biden leaked to the press. Today I'll unpack her views on policing and mass incarceration, and say some about what we can hope and expect from her once she's seated. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You wouldn't know it from the lack of mentions on social media or in the news, but police violence today is as big a crisis as it was in 2020 and its latest victim was a brilliant young brother named Amir Locke - who was shot and killed within seconds in a no knock raid as he awoke from sleep and struggled to get out from under the covers. Amir was not wanted for a crime. He was not a suspect. He did not break the law. But police did not give Amir enough time for him to even process a coherent thought before they murdered him - still wrapped in blankets and sheets. Already, police have attempted to blame the fact that Amir had a gun, but Amir was a licensed, trained gun owner. What we know is that gun ownership, and all of the laws protecting gun owners, are very much about protecting WHITE gun owners. Let me unpack and explain what we know so far. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens in the dark always comes to light. ALWAYS. And for the past 8 years, few people have spread more lies and caused me more trouble than Deray McKesson. It has caused my wife, my kids, my mother, my extended family, and the organizations I lead so much trouble and heartache. This week his co-founders came out to say that he has not only mistreated them and stolen their work, but that he has failed to account for an astounding $40 million he raised in the names of families that he hasn't even supported. Now it all makes sense to me. He has laser-focused misinformation campaigns on me to get the attention off of himself. You don't have to believe in Karma for it to be real. The principle of "you reap what you sow" is thousands of years old. And I don't delight in the Karma Deray is now receiving - that's not my way - but I will say it's overdue. Sadly, after years of people lying and saying I was the one misspending funds - in spite of me releasing hundreds of pages of reports and accounting showing nothing of the sort, we now see that it is actually a real problem with Deray and many others in this movement. All I can do is continue to let my work and my impact speak for itself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yesterday former NFL Head Coach Brian Flores filed a lawsuit against the NFL and three specific teams for blatant racism and discrimination in their hiring patterns and practices. Today I want to unpack and explain why this was such a bold move for a man that is still actively interviewing for head coaching positions. We've been here before, though. And when Colin Kaepernick took a bold stand in the NFL previously, it cost him his entire career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First off, Happy 39th birthday to my dear friend and brother, civil rights attorney, Lee Merritt. Yesterday, primarily because of his objection and guidance, the men who murdered Ahmaud Arbery were denied their plea deal to serve their time in federal prison. Today I will unpack and explain what went down and what happens next! Then, I need you to click on the link in Lee's bio on Instagram to make a birthday donation to his campaign to be the next Attorney General of Texas. Let's GO! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

s you may have seen, the men who murdered Ahmaud Arbery were given a plea deal by the DOJ on federal hate crimes charges and civil rights violations. If the deal is accepted, it will basically amount to these men being allowed to choose where they are imprisoned instead of the Georgia State Prison that they deserve to be in. Let's be clear - these men have denied being racists for 2 years. They are only now admitting to it because it will allow them to serve their time in a federal prison instead of a hot, overcrowded, badly managed Georgia prison like everybody else who murders someone there. They also wanted to avoid the deep public stain of a trial in which the whole world would learn just how racist these white men were. It's a mess. Today I want to unpack and explain how this happened, tell you who is responsible, and give context for why so many of us are so incredibly frustrated with the DOJ right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mobile, Alabama did what cities across the country are doing right now, they drastically increased their police budget over the past 3 years. And guess what happened over that same time period? Murders DOUBLED. Why? Because policing in America is a POST-crime enterprise. They show up AFTER the crime is already complete. And so while the city struggled desperately with poverty, drug addiction, mental health issues, homelessness, and struggling schools - all which are root causes of crime, the city poured more and more of its limited money into policing. And NOTHING got better. If we are going to be serious about public safety, pouring all of our money into policing, which already takes $789 million PER DAY in America, simply won't work. Listen, if you love this podcast, we need your support. Go now to TheNorthStar.com to become a paid member or click the link in my bio on Instagram. We are 8,900 members away from our goal for 2022! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When I first saw the AP headline that a brand new law legislating white comfort had passed several important hurdles in Florida, I thought it was a spoof. Florida is crazy, but that was NEXT LEVEL. But it wasn't a spoof. In fact, this new law appears to be on the fast track to pass. It makes it illegal for white people to feel uncomfortable when teaching American history and Black history. That alone is a problem. But today on The Breakdown, I want to unpack and explain why this law actually sets a VERY dangerous precedent. In fact, it was because white people made their comfort into law that the got their own water fountains, their own restrooms, their own entrances, their own sections and seats. Listen - this new Florida law is opening Pandora's Box. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, don't you dare critique this episode without first actually listening to the podcast. Listen, then speak your mind freely. But today on The Breakdown I want to unpack and explain why I think Joe Biden himself was the #1 reason why the voting rights bill failed in the Senate yesterday. Of course Democratic Senators Sinema and Manchin are also to blame. But the President of the United States, who is the head of the Democratic Party, half-assed this entire push for all of 2021 - not even stating clearly if he supported changing the filibuster rules to pass voting rights legislation until it was far too late. By the time Biden was finally ready to move on this, he gave Sinema and Manchin room to dig their heels in. Everything about how this went down was a rushed unprofessional, unprepared mess. Period. And all of that starts and ends with Biden. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I actually think it is a natural human response to return ugliness to those who were ugly to you or someone you care about. It feels good. I get it. It's something I have to resist every single day, though, because before you know it, you may be as bad or worse than them. Yesterday I posted a horrible video of openly racist basketball fans in China openly calling former NBA player Sonny Weems a nigger there. It was ugly. But in response to it, I see something that I often see in response to hate. And I want to talk about it.It's one key way we CANNOT respond to hate. Let me unpack and explain it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week a woman was pushed onto the train tracks and killed in New York. And immediately people began calling for more police as the solution, but that station was full of police already - including right there where the crime happened. We can solve this problem, and SO many other problems with non-policing solutions, but America's addiction to policing and mass incarceration literally prevents it from solving so many challenges Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices