Tearful Holding says education key to stop racism

LEGENDARY West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding made an emotional plea on the morning of the opening Test between West Indies and England to educate people on racism, holding back tears as he spoke about what black people experience.

A lot of discussion on Black Lives Matter has taken place leading up to the series with the players taking a kneel before the match. Black lives matter is also written on the t-shirts of the players. The killing of George Floyd in the US, in May, by a white police officer has created a wave of emotion concerning the treatment of black people

During a pre-match discussion TV on Sky Sports, Holding said, "Education is important unless we just want to continue living the life that we are living and continue just having demonstrations every now and again and a few people saying a few things."

The former fast bowler said this has been happening for centuries. "When I say education I mean going back in history. What people need to understand that this thing stems from a long time ago, hundreds of years ago. The dehumanization of the black race is where it started. People will tell you, 'That's a long time ago, get over it.' No, you don't get over things like that and the society has not gotten over something like that."

Holding said black people have been constantly portrayed in a negative way. "We have been brainwashed and not just black people, white people have been brainwashed in different ways...look at the image they give you of Jesus Christ – pale skin, blonde hair, blue eyes. Where Jesus came from? Who in that part of the world looks that way? But again that is the brainwashing to show you this is what perfection is. This is what the image of perfection is."

Holding also gave the example of Judas, who betrayed Jesus. He said Judas was a black man, and people were brainwashed that because Judas was the black man he was the bad man.

Holding said in his school days in Jamaica he was never taught anything positive about black people.

"History is written by the conqueror, not by those that are conquered. History is written by the people who do the harm, not by the people who get harmed. We need to go back and teach both sides of history and until we do that and educate the entire human race this thing will not stop."

Holding said people tell him there is nothing called white privilege, but said that is not the case. "Give me a break. I don't see any white people going into a store on Oxford Street (in England) and being followed. A black man walks in somebody is following him everywhere he goes. That is basic white privilege, whether that white person went there to rob the place or not he is not going to be taught of that way and things like that have to change," Holding said as he got emotional.