Shaun King stands as one of the most controversial figures as the activist has a heavy number of detractors that seemingly eclipse those who support his work. King, reportedly a recent convert to Islam, was slated to deliver a keynote speech for an Islamic organization, which has since been rescinded.
Shaun King made waves after announcing that he and his wife had converted to Islam just before the holy period of Ramadan while mentioning his support of Palestine amid the nation’s conflict with Israel. The news of King’s spiritual choice led to him trending on social media with jokes flying at a rapid rate.
King was slated to be a speaker in Minneapolis in connection to a fundraising dinner for the local branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). After the news spread wide that King would be a keynote speaker, CAIR endured heavy backlash. As a result, CAIR took the speech off the table in response.
From CAIR’s X page:
We have heard concerns expressed—directly and indirectly—by our community regarding Shaun King being the keynote at your Annual Iftar Fundraiser. We have made the decision to not have Shaun King as the keynote speaker for our upcoming annual fundraising dinner.
This has become a distraction from the sole purpose of our event—to support the work of protecting and advancing the civil liberties of Muslims in Minnesota, especially in these challenging times. We appreciate your feedback and are committed to ensuring our focus remains on our mission. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.
It doesn’t appear that Shaun King has addressed CAIR’s decision.
On X, formerly Twitter, had some thoughts and we’ve got them listed below.
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Photo: San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images / Getty
