Michael Holding says need to educate entire human race to stop racism; England, West Indies players take-a-knee before 1st Test

New Delhi: International cricket resumed on Wednesday (July 8, 2020) after almost a four months of COVID-19 halt with West Indies facing England in the first Test at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton (England).

With the resumption, everyone also witnessed players of both teams, along with staff and match umpires, taking a knee before the start of the match in support of the Black Lives Matter movement that was sparked across the world due to the custodial death of a black man George Floyd in the United States.

Cricket united. An incredibly powerful moment. pic.twitter.com/2rSuTx4IPz — England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 8, 2020

Players and umpires took a knee before the start of play in support of the Black Lives Matter movement #ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/cwneMBOGxv — ICC (@ICC) July 8, 2020

Former Caribbean bowler, Michale Holding also shared a hard-hitting message before the start of the play and said that we need to educate the entire human race to stop racism. 

"Until we educate the entire human race, this thing will not stop," stated Holding while talking to Sky Sports.  

The video has been watched by over 14 lakh people in less than 5 hours and was shared by over 17,100 people.

"When I say education I mean going back in history. What people need to understand, these things stem from a long time ago, a hundred years ago," the former West Indies pacer said. 

"The dehumanisation of the black race is where it started and 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," he added.

He also talked about an incident in New York where a lady named Amy Cooper, had accused an African-American man of threatening her life in New York and highlighted the problem of racism.

"Until we educate the entire human race, this thing will not stop."

Michael Holding delivers a powerful message, explaining why #BlackLivesMatter. pic.twitter.com/2jiATkOqQ4 — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 8, 2020

He said, “That lady in the central park in New York if she did not have in her DNA the thought process that she was white and this man is black and if I call a police officer, nine times out of ten he is going to be white and I will be considered right immediately."

"The black guy will have to prove that he is not guilty and by the time he has to prove that he might be dead."

“She had that in her mind from day one and that is why she said and did what she did. How do you get rid of that in society? By educating both sides, black and white,” Holding added. 

He also talked about the brainwashing and said, "We have been brainwashed, and not just black people, white people are being brainwashed in different ways," he said.

He referred to religion and opined, "Look at Jesus Christ, the image that they give of Jesus Christ, pale skin, blond hair, blue eyes. Where Jesus came from? Who in that part of the world looks that way but again that's brainwashing to show this is what perfection is."

"If you look at the plays of those days, Judas who betrayed Jesus, he is a black man, again brainwashing people into thinking he is a black man, he is the bad man," said Holding.

He also cited an example from history and talked about the invention of the light bulb.

"Everybody knows Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. Thomas Edition invented the light bulb with a paper filament, can you tell me who invented the filament that makes these lights shine throughout? Nobody knows because he was a black man, and it was not taught in schools."

"Lewis Howard Latimer invented the carbon filament, to allow the light to continuously shine, who knows that? Everything should be taught. I remember my school days. I was never taught anything good about black people and you cannot have a society that is brought up like that, both white and black, that only teach what's convenient to the teacher," Holding said.

"History is written by the conqueror, not by those who are conquered, history is written by the people who do the harm, not by the people who get harmed," Holding stated.

"We need to go back and teach both sides of history and until we do it, and educate the entire human race, this thing will not stop."

He also said, "They keep on telling me there is nothing called white privilege, give me a break, I don't see white people go into a store and being followed. A black man walks in, somebody is following him everywhere he goes, that is basic white privilege." 

"Whether that white person ends up robbing the place or not, he is not being thought of that way, and things like that have to change," Holding stated.