West Indies bowling legend and commentator Michael Holding on Monday (June 21) admitted that he wouldn't be alive today if he grew up in England shedding light on racism during his youth.
Referring to the racism his co-commentator and former England woman cricketer Ebony Rainford-Brent endured growing up in the UK, Holding – who is a leading voice against racism in sport and society – said the brutality against the black people would have cost him his life if the was growing up in England.
Holding told The Telegraph: “No, I would not have made it. I don't think I would be alive today. As a young man, I was a bit fiery. I kicked a stump out of the ground in New Zealand (1980) so can you imagine me going through what Ebony went through?”
Since George Floyd was killed by a white cop in the United States last year, the sensitive aspect of racism came into the light across the world with the West Indies team leading the way to openly come out against racism by supporting the global Black Lives Matter movement.
The 67-year-old Jamaican legend is among the leading faces to voice against racism and even wrote a book titled “Why We Kneel, How We Rise” – which is to be released soon.
He further said, “Growing up in Jamaica, I didn't experience racism. I experienced it every time I left Jamaica. Each time I experienced it I just told myself 'this is not your life, I will soon be going back home. And if I had made a stand my career would not have lasted as long as it did, I would not have had a long television career.
We have seen through history that black people who stand up for their rights and call out injustice are victimized. Mercy, if I had spoken out they would have said ‘another angry young black man get rid of him.' I would have been another person on the dung heap.”
The former pacer has further revealed that his sister found one of the chapters difficult to read as it takes a toll on anyone's emotions.
Holding signed off by saying, “I sent a chapter to my sister and she said she could not read it. The ones about lynchings and dehumanization, the picture of three black bodies hanging from the tree that was turned into a postcard.”
(With PTI Inputs)
