Faf du Plessis during the 2019 World Cup clash against India at the Rose Bowl (Getty)
- Proteas batsman Faf du Plessis has expressed his support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
- The former national captain explained that although he initially remained silent on the matter, he now feels the time is right to speak up.
- He acknowledged that his earlier views may have offended people.
Proteas batsman Faf du Plessis is the latest cricketer to express his support for the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.
READ | Proteas all-rounder to ‘take the knee’ in support of BLM movement
Various sporting codes around the world have seen players engaged in gestures supporting the initiative, notably bending their knees during national anthems or wearing logos.
The movement has gained traction in South Africa and tensions boiled over in the last week after fast bowler Lungi Ngidi said he would take the matter into Proteas the dressing room.
Du Plessis, a former Proteas captain, took to Instagram on Friday and explained that although he initially remained silent on the matter, he now feels the time is right to speak up.
Du Plessis wrote: “In the last couple of months I have realised that we must choose our battles. We are surrounded by many injustices in our country that require urgent attention and action to fix them. If we wait only for the ones that attack us personally, we will always live for ‘my way vs your way’ and that way leads us nowhere.
“So I’ve remained silent, with the intent to listen, but not respond. Slowing down my point of view, but quicker to hear the pain of someone else. I knew that words would be lacking and that my understanding is not close to where it needs to be.
“I surrender my opinions and take the knee as an intercessor. I acknowledge that South Africa is still hugely divided by racism and it is my personal responsibility to do my best to emphasise, hear the stories, learn and then be part of the solution with my thoughts, words and actions.”
Du Plessis acknowledged that his earlier views on the matter may have offended people.
“I have gotten it wrong before. Good intentions were failed by a lack of perspective when I said on a platform that – I don’t see colour. In my ignorance I silenced the struggles of others by placing my own view on it.
“A race problem is a human race problem, if one part of the body hurts ,we all stop, we empathise, we get perspective, we learn and then we tend to the hurting part of the body.
“So I am saying that all lives don’t matter UNTIL black lives matter. I’m speaking up now, because if I wait to be perfect, I never will. I want to leave a legacy of empathy. The work needs to continue for the change to come and whether we agree or disagree, conversation is the vehicle for change.”
ALSO READ | Hashim Amla thanks ‘exceptional’ Lungi Ngidi: ‘Black Lives Matter has relevance for everyone’
– Compiled by Sport24 staff
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In the last couple of months I have realized that we must choose our battles. We are surrounded by many injustices in our country that require urgent attention and action to fix them. If we wait only for the ones that attack us personally, we will always live for “my way vs your way” and that way leads us nowhere. So I’ve remained silent, with the intent to listen, but not respond. Slowing down my point of view, but quicker to hear the pain of someone else. I knew that words would be lacking and that my understanding is not close to where it needs to be. I surrender my opinions and take the knee as an intercessor. I acknowledge that South Africa is still hugely divided by racism and it is my personal responsibility to do my best to emphasize, hear the stories, learn and then be part of the solution with my thoughts, words and actions I have gotten it wrong before. Good intentions were failed by a lack of perspective when I said on a platform that – I don’t see colour. In my ignorance I silenced the struggles of others by placing my own view on it. A race problem is a human race problem, if one part of the body hurts ,we all stop, we empathize, we get perspective, we learn and then we tend to the hurting part of the body. So I am saying that all lives don’t matter UNTIL black lives matter. I’m speaking up now, because if I wait to be perfect, I never will. I want to leave a legacy of empathy. The work needs to continue for the change to come and whether we agree or disagree, conversation is the vehicle for change.
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