Gary A on Spoutible

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1/19

My understanding of how easy it is for the privileged to dismiss inequality as luck or merit starts with the NY Islanders when I was 9yo. We had seats next to the hallway between the ice and the locker room. My father was talking to a nearby couple. I ignored their conversation. #ThreadChallenge

01:47 PM - May 27, 2023

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2/19

In the closing seconds, with the Islanders winning, a defenseman passed the puck to goalie Chico Resch, so he had the puck in glove as he left the ice. What seemed like thousands of other children started waving, yelling “Chico, the puck.” I didn’t bother, because I knew I had no chance.

01:48 PM - May 27, 2023

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3/19

The woman with whom my father was talking told me to ask for the puck, and she waved and pointed at me. To my amazement, Chico Resch handed me the puck. In the ride home, my father was surprised that I was surprised. The stranger had shared that she played tennis with Resch during the off-season.

01:50 PM - May 27, 2023

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4/19

Since then, I have thought about the preconditions needed for me to get that puck. I had to be seated near the hallway. A specific player had to end the game with the puck. His friend had to be near me. My father had to have connected with her. She had to catch the player’s attention as he passed.

01:52 PM - May 27, 2023

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5/19

Perhaps if some preconditions had not existed and I had called for it, I might have had a minuscule chance of getting it. An improbability became a certainty based on one key connection at the right time. As inequality & entertainment costs have grown, these opportunities are less accessible.

01:54 PM - May 27, 2023

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6/19

There are many factors that increase or decrease the availability of those opportunities. Someone with more wealth or connections can obtain better seats on a more frequent basis where obtaining a puck would be more likely. Or could afford access to special events with opportunities to meet players.

01:54 PM - May 27, 2023

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7/19

Even for me, how much more likely was my white family to have middle class wealth than had we been of another race? Would Resch’s tennis buddy have been as likely to strike up a conversation with a person of color? She assumed (correctly) that I wanted the puck but didn’t think I could get it.

01:57 PM - May 27, 2023

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8/19

Would she have made the same assumption if I had presented as female, or would she have assumed I didn’t care? I have no way of knowing in this individual case, but my chance of obtaining that puck was likely far higher than that of a young, female person of color in the same circumstance.

01:57 PM - May 27, 2023

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9/19

The hockey puck did not change my life, but being in the right place later in life did. Before my junior year, I applied for a summer job in the dean’s office. I did not get it, but I apparently interviewed well enough to be referred to a department that needed a school year office assistant.

01:58 PM - May 27, 2023

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10/19

I worked all year and was offered a full-time summer role. In the second week, they ran out of xeroxing. I was given stretch activities working with community organizations & other schools. I got positive feedback. When my senior year started, I kept that work & they hired another office assistant.

02:00 PM - May 27, 2023

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11/19

As I approached graduation, the department got a grant to expand its program nationally. That funding included a full-time job expanding on the work I was already doing. I was the obvious candidate, I was offered the job, and that job launched my career.

02:00 PM - May 27, 2023

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12/19

Merit certainly played a part. I would not have gotten that full-time job without working hard and doing well. Luck also played a part. In addition, I was there because my family cared enough about education and was able to support me through a particularly expensive private university.

02:01 PM - May 27, 2023

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13/19

A person of color could have been in that position, but systemic wealth & educational disparities made my odds higher. Just as tickets cost more, education costs have exploded. Just as those with connections have more access to sports, they have more access to opportunity for their children.

02:05 PM - May 27, 2023

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14/19

They can use donations to secure elite admissions and greater wealth to pay for elite education. They also have more connections to those who may provide internship and full-time opportunities to their children.

02:05 PM - May 27, 2023

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15/19

So much of what I read from the right equates acknowledging one’s own privilege with denigrating one’s own accomplishments. I suppose it may be more difficult to differentiate privilege in circumstances where merit played no role at all.

02:06 PM - May 27, 2023

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16/19

It is basic honesty to admit that privilege & luck have contributed to my success along with merit & effort. More importantly, when I share my connections & network or recruit staff, I need to be aware of my biases and to proactively reach out and include people who are different from me.

02:08 PM - May 27, 2023

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17/19

I need to stand up for education that helps everyone to be aware of our history. I am not personally ashamed because of what my ancestors did. I am ashamed and angry when we continue to do it and when we refuse to act to make things better.

02:10 PM - May 27, 2023

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18/19

That is part of why I support politicians and policies that will provide more access and opportunity to those who are disadvantaged and less connected.

02:11 PM - May 27, 2023

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19/19

Not everyone will be able to get a NY Islanders puck, but every child should have an opportunity to get to a game. And every child should know that if they ask for a puck at a hockey game, they have a fair chance to receive it.

02:11 PM - May 27, 2023

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In response to Gary A.

Good thread and the people who need to read it won't.

09:15 PM - May 29, 2023

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In response to Marsha Shaiman.

😣

09:27 PM - May 29, 2023

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