Berlin (AP) – Former French soccer player Lilian Thuram wants to persuade more people to fight racism.
“The time of neutrality is over. Our socialization legitimizes the racism that we have in society,” criticized the 50-year-old at the presentation of his book “White Thinking” in the Red Salon of the Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz. In order to change this legitimacy anchored in society, “we have to start speaking the same language”.
The former world and European champion sees racism as a centuries-old economic system that was used to exploit the resources of other countries and peoples in order to accumulate the wealth of a few. Thuram, whose son Marcus is under contract with Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach, cited colonization and the slave trade as examples.
Racism is more than just a confrontation between people with different skin colors. “We usually talk about the victims. We should ask those who benefit from it,” said Thuram, who was a former professional at AS Monaco, AC Parma, Juventus Turin and FC Barcelona.