Michael Holding on racism: 'Until we educate the entire human race, racism will not stop'

Former West Indies cricketer turned commentator Michael Holding didn’t hold back his words as he delivered a powerful message against racism on Wednesday while saying the black race has been “dehumanized” and its accomplishment wiped off from a history “written by people who do them harm”.

Holding, who wishes to retire from the commentary box at the end of next year, spoke about racism before the start of the much-awaited England vs West Indies first Test in Southampton. The entire cricketing world tuned in to witness international cricket come back to life after 117 days and it was a perfect opportunity to send a strong message against racism, which Holding and co-commentator and former England captain Nasser Hussain did.

"...when I say education I mean going back in history. What people need to understand, these things stem from hundred years ago," the former pace great said on Sky Sports.

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"The dehumanization 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 said.

While players, support staff, umpires took a knee before the start of Day 1’ play, everyone including the commentators and broadcast team had BLM logos engraved on their shirts.

Holding further said that people have been brainwashed over the years by an education system that portrayed black race negatively while refusing to credit them for contributing to humanity’s advancement.

"History is written by the conqueror, not by those who are conquered, history is written by people who do them harm, not by those who get harmed...We are being brainwashed, not just black people, white people are being brainwashed in different ways," he said.

"Think about religion ... Look at Jesus Christ, the image that they give of him: pale skin, blond hair, blue eyes. Where Jesus came from, who in that part of the world looks that way but again this is 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."

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While citing the recent incident where a white woman called the police on a black bird-watcher in New York, Holding said her actions were based on established perception.

"...by the time he (the black man) proves he is not guilty, he might be dead. she had that thing in her mind from day one. That's why she said and did what she did," Holding said.

"They keep telling me there is nothing called white privilege, give me a break, I haven't seen white people go into a store and being followed. A black man walks in, and someone is following him everywhere he goes, that is basic white privilege," he explained.

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

Talking about how the achievements of black people have been ignored over the years, Holding said: "...everybody knows Thomas Edison 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, it was not taught in schools.

"Lewis Latimer invented the carbon filament, who knows that. Everything should be taught. I was never taught anything good about black people and you cannot have a society that is brought up like that, both black and white, that only teach what is convenient."

While the light bulb was discovered by Edison but Latimer invented the carbon filament which was used to create longer-lasting bulbs.

Former England skipper Naseer Hussain, who was also present during the discussion on racism, said it's been too long that people have been looking away.

"I sat there six weeks ago and I watched a black man being killed in front of my eyes. My natural reaction is to look away ... the next time, it came on, because of the protest, I forced myself to watch, because I felt something inside me tell that Naseer you have been looking away for too long," he said.

"We all have been looking away for too long. The players should be proud of wearing these badges but really, it's 2020 and we have to wear a badge saying black lives matter, really?"

Asked if he had ever faced racism in his life, Hussain said: "Of course, I have (faced racism), with my surname growing up ... with an Indian dad and an English mom, probably getting a bit from both sides."

"While fielding in the boundary in various parts of the world and people say 'hey Saddam'," he added.

(Inputs from PTI)