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“White privilege is a distraction, leaving racism and power untouched,” says this article by Kenan Malik in The Guardian.

“Such demonstrations of public obsequiousness are performances that make individuals feel better about themselves but also keep the structures of power and discrimination untouched.”

As I see it, this wallowing and this performative aspect are what’s problematic and a distraction. The concept of white privilege itself, though, is extremely important for us white people to recognize, so we can use it for the good.

Where I see the “white privilege” concept as being of real value, is that as a white ally, I can

1) matter-of-factly acknowledge that systemic racism has given me this privilege;

2) matter-of-factly set about correcting myself, making REAL amends, etc., when I notice, or get feedback from another person, that I’ve perpretrated racism;

3) matter-of-factly confront fellow white people, in public and in private, when I see them pretending not to be racist while cloaking their motives under some fake banner such as “respect for property”, “public safety”, etc, denying that racism exists etc.; and

4) When I notice that I feel scared or icky about standing up to someone (because I see them as more powerful, richer, more prestigious, prettier, more glamorous, more of a big scary bully — fill in the blank), and am tempted to hang back, or withdraw, or gloss things over by making some nicey-nice appeasing comment, I can instead use the luxury afforded to me by my white privilege to take a deep breath, get re-centered, and matter-of-factly go back into the scary conversation, knowing that whatever consequences I’m fearing are “consequences lite” — a laughably pale shadow of the violence, economic reprisals, humiliation and other truly bad stuff black people have had to face day in and day out.

For me, the concept of white privilege, when applied in a constructive manner, allows me to drop the wallowing and emoting and performative stuff, and just set about channeling my privilege for the good. Which is to actually notice and set about dismantling those underlying unquestioned assumptions, beliefs, power structures. Sometimes the dismantling is as small and seemingly simple as a comment in a Facebook thread. The work-site for dismantling systemic racism is on millions of small daily fronts, and it’s always there for us to do.

“This is a transformational moment. Let’s use it to challenge structural injustice, not to elicit or wallow in guilt,” writes Malik in the Guardian article.

Amen! Deep-green troops, mobilize! A world tyrannized by white privilege can never be green.

I see an analogous connection between white privilege and our work as deep-green activists, and I will address that in an upcoming post.

I started a new post to expand on my first post on this topic. I’ll be adding thoughts as they come to mind, and adding resources as I find them.

Implosion of the “Journey To Zero-Waste” Facebook group: One of the online groups I’ve steadfastly recommended to you as a resource for all matters related to reducing one’s footprint, is essentially dead, because the admins shut down posts related to supporting zero-waste black-owned businesses. They deemed Black Lives Matter a U.S. political matter, beyond the rightful terrain of an international non-political group. Tens of thousands of members disagreed and raised an uproar, but the admins get the last word, and the group is for all intents and purposes no longer available. Its content has been archived and is searchable by existing members, but no new people can join or access the archives. The needless loss of this rich resource is a shame. But, in the event that you have a question about anything related to reducing waste in your daily life, I will be happy to search the J2ZW archives for you. How much better it would have been, had the group been allowed to freely explore the intersection between environmentalism and racism. To explore “How does systemic racism, and the Black Lives Matter movement, relate to pursuing a Zero-Waste lifestyle? How can this group be part of the solution?”

De-funding racism: Laura Oldanie (Rich & Resilient Living) just made a post, “A Crowdsourced Guide To Social Justice Investing,” about how we can use our financial capital to help de-fund racism and fund the world we want to live in. “I do recognize that I’m operating from a place of privilege (and gratitude) just having money to invest and the time to contemplate social justice investing. Given the direction my life has taken, it feels like the best contribution I can make right now to help address this situation,” says Laura. Thanks always Laura for your thoughtful, well-researched posts! Money is a tricky topic, and Laura makes it easier for everyday people to make a difference via their investments.

Some years back, a friend of mine retired. To reduce his cost of living, he moved from the large expensive metropolitan area where he’d spent most of his working years, to a small town far from any major city. Not long after, he told me he was having trouble hiring people to do yardwork, house repairs and other work. Not that such people weren’t available, but they worked on their own schedule — which, from the perspective of a city person, was very slow.

“They always want to be out fishing and hunting,” my friend said. The implication being that their priorities were skewed, because why wouldn’t a person always rather be earning money than doing anything else?

What I gathered from this was that the locals very much had their priorities straight. Obviously their household overhead was low enough so they didn’t have to take every single job that came along. So they got plenty of time to do what they loved (which, in this case, also brought them a steady supply of fresh local meat). And my friend always eventually got done the work he needed done — just more on nature’s timetable rather than on his personal timetable.

And a “priority” story closer to home: Today I made a priority of washing sheets and other large laundry items, because it was our first sunny day in a while. (The rain has been wonderful; we’re closing the gap on the drought.) If anyone had called me with a job that needed to get done this morning/early afternoon, I’d have said, “Sorry I can’t today; I have to do laundry.” And would have been perfectly happy about it. The big laundry items had been piling up for awhile, and there is a pure sort of joy in making the most of sunshine, just as there is a pure sort of joy in making the most of rain or any other natural blessing. Looking forward to the smell of sun-dried linens tonight!

And, one more “priorities” story close to home. A church on my street just spent three hours mowing, edging, and blowing its lawn. This is a regular occurrence. I have approached the church in the past about the possibility of a community garden with fruit trees and a vegetable patch, but the folks in charge said basically, “We don’t have the resources for that.” Meanwhile, this church operates a very large-volume food distribution program for low-income people. For several hours every Wednesday, volunteers hand out big bags of groceries to a line of people that often stretches down the street. By the nature of a food-distribution program, perishable fresh produce takes a backseat to canned goods. And what fresh produce there is (such as greens packaged in plastic) is often rotted by the time it reaches the recipients. While I commend the church for its intentions of addressing food insecurity (and for the sheer volume of its charity), I hold out hope that one day the people in charge at the church will come to see a veggie garden and fruit orchard as also being a priority. Imagine if the food recipients had an opportunity to pick their own fresh food and volunteer in the garden; and imagine if the church’s landscaping volunteers were expending their labor on growing something useful rather than just ornamental!

Feelings and emotions are not baggage … but they can come with baggage! If you are feeling overwhelmed by some feeling or emotion, chances are you are not simply EXPERIENCING that feeling — as in, being present with that feeling, without words, translation, judgment, resistance. Chances are that along with experiencing that feeling, you are also experiencing RESISTANCE to that feeling. For example you could be feeling sad or angry, and along with that sadness and anger you could also be feeling “It’s wrong for me to be feeling this way” or “I can’t stand feeling like this.” These layers of judgment intensify the feeling, and actually cause it to stick around longer because we are resisting just experiencing the feeling. It gets bigger and bigger and feels like it might crush you. I had spent some decades on the planet, being swept along on a stormy sea of feeling, before I got clued in to this. Wow, what a revelation it was for me to learn how to just feel pure sadness, or have a pure experience of anger, just be present with it. Also, to have a pure experience of happiness, without the accompanying feeling of “This won’t last” or “I don’t deserve this” or “When is the other shoe going to drop?”

A feeling by itself is actually quite a magical experience almost like a flavor of ice cream. Or the scent of a certain flower. And then, once it’s experienced without judgment, to see how quickly the intensity drops off and the feeling passes, like a cloud in the sky – what a revelation! Just one of the flavors of life, a pure experience. Experiencing is a skill that can be taught, learned, and practiced. And when you learn how to experience your feelings purely without the surrounding “junk” of resistance etc, it completely changes your life. A lot of pain and drama just drops away, and an enormous amount of energy is freed up. You might find yourself suddenly having all sorts of extra time for things you really want to do, or a huge influx of creativity. At least, that is how I have experienced it! Revolutionary.

You can build a whole life around avoiding/resisting feelings. You can build a whole culture around it! We sure have. Bad idea though, time to shake those chains. Feelings are an essential survival mechanism because they are our BS detector and our heart-compass and moral compass. You might think that it would be the thinking, intellectual mind that would have that role, but actually the intellect by itself is just a machine, and without the guiding influence of feelings, that so-called “smart” thinking mind will amplify all sorts of nonsense and get a person into all sorts of trouble.

To people experiencing unemployment/underemployment, student-loan debt, food insecurity, lack of access to health care, housing insecurity, and other harsh economic realities of today’s world, the seemingly irrepressible buoyancy of Wall Street might feel head-spinning or even possibly outright insulting. (I know I have often found it offensive on many levels, including environmental: Humanity is making a killing by plundering the earth and indigenous communities.)

Many times in past years, seeing yet another report of Wall Street bouncing back higher than ever while everyday life for most people seems, well, not prosperous, I have been baffled.

But more recently, I am no longer baffled, because I finally understand that the forces putting money in the pockets of corporations and shareholders are different from, and in many cases actually at odds with, the forces that would put money into the pockets of everyday people and their local communities.

Recently I came across an excellent article elucidating these forces. Alas, I failed to bookmark the article or even remember which publication I saw it in. I’m going to keep combing my e-scrap files and my brain until I dig it up for you, because with the Covid-induced unemployment and small-business failings (as the stock market meanwhile has bounced back with is its characteristic relentlessness), it’s really important right now more than ever.

In the meantime, I will share a thought I’ve had for awhile. Many people (possibly the bulk of North Americans) are fighting against themselves by being heavily invested in Wall Street while at the same time trying to earn a decent livelihood and make their neighborhoods/local communities more prosperous and livable for all. Am I saying don’t invest in stocks? Not necessarily. But I’m saying we have to seriously look into this connection. Or should I say look into this disconnection: Wall Street booming while Main Street is languishing. I’ve taken up this topic in my book and elsewhere on this blog. For one, here is my post about the folly of seeing Wall Street as synonymous with the economy; hope you find it helpful in getting a wider vantage point and exploring your options.

Oh, hey! This is not the article I was thinking of, but I just now found a goodie. “Why Main Street Is Suffering While Wall Street Is Soaring” (Martha C. White and Stephanie Ruhle; nbcnews.com). Very illuminating and succinct explanation.

How are things in your town or city? I hope you all are staying safe, while still finding ways to be part of the solution to systemic racism.

In recent days, I’ve been participating in some peaceful grassroots actions in my local area. Specifically: a march; a beach and neighborhood cleanup (organized by a local Black activist in reponse to community concerns about a mass social gathering that left a lot of trash on the beach and in neighborhoods); and finding ways to support Black-owned businesses in addition to my usual ways. Another peaceful grassroots action I’ve been doing is speaking up to offer a counterpoint to fellow white people’s racist speech and attitudes in online forums. This is hard for me, unlike the previous actions I mentioned. But it gets easier with time and practice.

Some thoughts, in no particular order:

• In my book, DEEP GREEN, I mention that I don’t waste my breath debating people who don’t believe that we are in a planetary eco crisis. If someone is entrenched in their belief, no amount of reasoning is going to convince them. Better to save one’s energy for positive action (such as teaching permaculture, solar cooking, climate action etc., to people who are seeking to learn). I realized this is how I feel about people who refuse to believe that systemic racism is a thing. Yes, the fact that there are still so many people who don’t believe that systemic racism exists is a big part of what’s keeping racism alive and well. I’m realizing I have to call it out when I see it. But am I then going to stick around for hours to engage in a debate to try to convince someone who is not at all open to seeing another viewpoint? No. Better (for example) to post worthwhile articles, books, and films on social media, where they’ll reach the eyes of people receptive to growing and learning. AND to keep working on my own evolution, to root out racism in my own self. On that note, the next book on my reading list is White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People To Talk About Racism, by Robin DiAngelo.

And the next film on my watch list is Just Mercy (which Warner Brothers is allowing viewers to stream for free during the month of June 2020 to help educate people on the dangers of systemic racism).

(UPDATE: I have seen the film and read the book. Highly recommend both.)

• Systemic racism is a serious problem alive and well in the world. And there are a lot of people out there who are in denial that there is a problem. An alarming number. But I have high hopes that things will get better, and am doing my best to contribute to making them better.

• “Eco Plant Lady” note: I noticed I’m not getting as worked-up lately about the “fussy lawn brigade” with its gas-spewing, ear-splitting implements of torture. There are just bigger fish to fry in this world. It’s kind of a relief to not feel so derailed by leafblowers and all that stuff because I’m more plugged-in to higher priorities. Yes, I still find hyper-manicured landscapes distressing, from an aesthetic as well as an environmental standpoint. But I’m more able to keep it in perspective. And I keep on giving out wildflower seeds, talking up regenerative homescale landscaping practices.

• There are many times that I’ve spoken out, when I should have kept quiet, seeking to listen and understand. And there are times (possibly just as many) that I have kept silent when I should have spoken up. Part of how I’m trying to contribute to making things better, is by learning to get better at telling the difference, so I can do better next time.

I’ve been doing a lot of listening and reflecting. This post will be unfolding as I add more thoughts.

Bottom line: BLACK LIVES MATTER.

Recommended Resources:

My sorority, Delta Delta Delta, has posted this page of articles, books, videos and other resources for people seeking to educate themselves about racism. “Educating ourselves about the many aspects of racism and racial injustice – including privilege and bias – is one of the most important things we can do right now. This compilation of thought-starters and resources is a great way to get started.”

Anti-Racism Training: webinar by Diversity & Resiliency Institute of El Paso. Three modules, 2 hours each. I found this course very powerful. You get to hear short talks by many people, sharing their experiences and expertise. Website says the training has closed, but I’m including the link to it anyway in case they might offer it again.

Ally Henny on Facebook ; and her website. Writing and speaking about race, culture, and faith. Her Facebook posts and the discussion threads are very eye-opening for those of us who have been living in the white-privilege bubble. Note for fellow white people: I strongly recommend being in listen and learn mode on this page.

“Uncle Sam expects you to keep and raise chickens,” says a charmingly illustrated poster from 1918 (which I saw on Facebook). “Two hens in the backyard for each person in the house will keep a family in fresh eggs.”

1918 goes down in history as the last year of World War I, and as the first year of the so-called “Spanish Flu” pandemic. Now, a century later, our “war” is on multiple fronts including obesity, hypertension, diabetes, malnutrition, topsoil depletion, declining biodiversity, food deserts, mental-health issues, addiction, and household economic stress. Add to that the recent disruption of essential supply lines by Covid-19, and we’ve got a perfect storm motivating us to learn “old-fashioned” skills such as growing a garden and raising small livestock.

Many people now are growing vegetables, learning to sew and bake, keeping bees, raising poultry. Many many other people are interested in doing these things but aren’t sure how to get started.

One way is good old YouTube; you can find detailed how-to videos for any skill you can possibly think of, from pickling to bicycle repair to natural building. But there’s so much content out there that it can be overwhelming. And the quality of the instruction varies.

That’s where attending a curated event comes in handy. Yesterday I took the plunge and signed up for the Mother Earth News Fair. This fair has been held in person in different locations around the USA since 2010, but this year it’s happening online. (Hooray!) Turns out the organizers had decided to try an online option this year anyway, and the pandemic just accelerated their plans.

The Fair offers eight courses: 1) DIY Skills (encompassing such skills as solar electricity, humanure composting, and DIY farm tools); 2) Food Independence (including edible yard, yogurt-making, and such), 3) Livestock (poultry, cows, goats, rabbits…); 4) Modern Homesteading (including honeybee husbandry, wildcrafting, mushroom survival skills); 5) Natural Health; 6) Organic Gardening; 7) Practical Skills (vermicomposting, mycoremediation, sheet mulching, etc.); 8) Real Food.

If you register by June 20, you get all eight courses for $20, comprising a total of 50+ videos. (After June 20, the price goes up to $20 per course, which is still a good deal, but I sure like being able to get the whole kitten caboodle for $20!)

Each vid is only 20-30 minutes long, which should be just right to get an overview and enough pointers to embolden you to go ahead and get started with some basic carpentry, herbal tinctures, or whatever the topic is. If you’ve ever watched instructional videos that are hours long and super detailed, you might have noticed that you run the risk of getting bogged down and never getting started. (At least, that’s what I tend to do!) And really when it comes down to it, the best way to learn is by doing.

Mother Earth News is a mag I’ve been reading for awhile. Their articles tend to be thorough, yet easy to follow. So I expect the online fair will be similarly high-quality. (Oh, and unlike an in-person fair, where you have to choose from among concurrent sessions and cannot attend them all, the online fair will offer the videos pre-recorded, and they’ll remain available for you to watch and re-watch anytime in the coming year.)

This also solves the problem I’ve sometimes had in the past, when I’ve attended a super packed conference and gotten all charged up and inspired, only to return home and not remember this or that info; not feel able to get started on my own. I don’t think I’m the only one: I’ve seen people attend a class on composting or solar cooking, and years later they still haven’t done anything with it. I’m thinking that the format of the Mother Earth News Online Fair might just be the “secret sauce” that helps people navigate past the usual blocks.

To see the full list of video topics, and to register for the fair, go here. I hope lots of you will sign up! Let me know if you do. If there’s enough interest, we could even form a mutual support and encouragement group. The course videos will be released on June 20.

Remember that 1918 chicken poster I mentioned at the beginning of this post? It says at the bottom: “In time of peace a profitable recreation; in time of war a patriotic duty.” Amen to that! We are now in a time of war on multiple fronts, but we can increase our peace by building household resilience skills — and sharing them with our communities.

Speaking of peace, the 1918 poster has a special note for parents: “An interested child, old enough to take a little responsibility, can care for a few fowls as well as a grown person.” There’s a world of freedom, empowerment, education, and even behavioral therapy packed into that simple little sentence! I’ve seen very young kids on farms be very skilled and very loving at taking care of animals, when they knew it was their responsibility. If schools end up having to close again, it could be that part of the secret to keeping kids engaged, busy, and learning at home is as simple as a few backyard chickens or veggies.