West Indies nice Michael Holding has criticised England cricket group’s “moment of unity” gesture within the ongoing Test sequence in opposition to New Zealand, saying it was not supporting Black Lives Matter (BLM) motion however giving refined that means of “all lives matter”.
England gamers wore T-shirts sporting messages in opposition to any racism, spiritual intolerance, sexism and different anti-discrimination slogans, having determined to not take the knee after the sequence in opposition to West Indies final yr.
Holding, who’s a passionate advocate for equality in cricket and the broader group, feels the gesture is akin to saying “all lives matter” fairly than supporting BLM motion.
“What this England (cricket) team are doing now with this ‘moment of unity’, that is not supporting Black Lives Matter,” Holding instructed ‘Sky Sports’.
“What you are doing there is, when I say, ‘black lives matter’, you are telling me ‘all lives matter’,” the 67-year-old added.
Holding applauded the England soccer group for “showing some backbone” by persevering with to take the knee regardless of criticism. England’s footballers had been booed and jeered by some followers for taking a knee in warm-up video games forward of the
Euro Championship. However, they’ve pledged to proceed the gesture.
“The footballers, Gareth Southgate (supervisor) and the England group, I applaud them for what they’re doing. They are getting numerous stick for taking the knee, they’re getting booed, however they’re exhibiting some spine.
“They are showing some intestinal fortitude. They’re saying ‘we’re doing it because we know what we’re doing – not for a political movement, we’re doing it for humanitarian reasons’,” Holding added.
Following the demise of African-American George Floyd in police custody within the USA final yr, Holding had delivered an emotional and highly effective message in opposition to racism, asserting that the black race has been dehumanised and its accomplishments wiped off from a historical past “written by people who do the harm.”
“I’m never going to talk about any political movement. I care about the three words: Black Lives Matter,” stated Holding, who has written a brand new e-book ‘Why We Kneel, How We Rise’.
“(We’ve got a chance) That is an expression my mother used with me when I was a kid. I see we have a chance, because I see movement.”
