I seem to be in a lot of trainings and conversations related to issues of systemic racism, white privilege, equity, inclusivity, and other topics of marginalization. As a white male with privilege in the United States, It is imperative for me to face these issues in an ongoing manner with intentionality. These are difficult discussions with polarizing impact. As a white male in the United States, it often feels like it takes a lot to face myself and understand my implicit bias and privilege, that is, when I choose to take the time to do so. I think it takes WAY MORE to be the daily recipient of bias, bigotry, discrimination, and hatred, especially for no other reason that you are as you were created. I know already I have lost some people who disagree with the notion of “white privilege.” I can’t really help that, as I am not in a position to back away from the assessment and reality of systemic racism and white privilege in our society.

In trying to describe what “white privilege” is, one of the analogies I have heard several times as of late is the one of the fish swimming in water. The story goes like this: “There is the story told about the wise old fish who was swimming through the water. As he swam along he encountered two young fish coming by. He turned to them and asked ‘How is the water?’ and the young fish replied – ‘What water?’”

The story is trying to provide an illustration of the invisibility of “whiteness” in United States culture since white culture has asserted itself as normative and is so much around us, permeating and constructing our structures from top to bottom. Whites have to be very intentional in order to recognize the prevalence of “whiteness.” I have often seen the lights go on for a white person in that “ah hah” moment, when they begin to unpack and understand the analogy. It can be mind altering all of a sudden, realizing what has been around you and what you have been participating in all your life, but unbeknownst to you. It is a powerful story and analogy. But like any metaphor, there are weaknesses in their use and impact, and I believe it is so for this one well. Yeah, I can kill a great party conversation.

Because of the visual nature of the analogy, “clear ocean water”, I think whites, myself, need to be careful with this one. The reality is that clear water is still comprised of substances. Hydrogen and Oxygen come together to give it substance. While soothing in many ways, water has force and power to it. It has the tsunami ability to wipe out islands in one fast swoop, or the patient ability over centuries to slowly carve out holes and crevices in rock, slowly entering into the pores of the rocks wearing away its path. Even in the depths of the ocean, water presses in harder the deeper you are in, and can carry forces based upon what is influencing it miles away. Water while clear, has very definite texture and substance to it. Ask anyone who misjudged their attempt off of the diving board at a swimming pool. And we haven’t even gotten into the impact of ice and steam.

So, in order that water does not cause us harm, we are taught to understand what comprises it, how to react to it based upon what is impacting it at the time: weather, boats, underwater earthquakes, the tide of the moon, or just plain ignorance. We unpack what it can do so that we know how to survive, how to protect ourselves, how to overcome it, how to respect the implicit danger of it. The water IS there and as fish we may not be able to see it, but we can certainly feel it and all of its impact. White privilege is very much the same. The forces of privilege are all around us dictating policies that privilege some while marginalizing many more others. Unfortunately for us whites, it is the tsunami that must hit us, the violence of a Klan march, rather than being aware of the slow and steady corrosive power of water that can carve out crevices in ROCK. We do not see the slow and daily impact of white privilege that impacts people of color, women, LGBTQA, Latinax, and so many other groups that have had to develop amazing coping abilities (we only acknowledge the one day they may have had too much or they let their guard down).

So while white privilege may be invisible, it is very solid and takes on insidious form each and everyday permeating throughout our institutions of Church, government, education, business, community development, cultural groups, and yes, in our individuals lives. We all, but most specifically whites, much be about the daily business of making the water visible, revealing institutionalized forms of white privilege that operate in our own very circles. That is the work each of us, that I , can do, when the task seems overwhelming on national levels. If not, we will most certainly drown in our own environment.

By Dr. James Puglisi, 2/17/2108