Torie Bosch had one very good point in her column yesterday -- not everyone starts at the same place in life ("Theory of meritocracy in America has holes in its societal explanations," Feb. 16). But, she failed to recognize one very important point. It is the most important aspect of our country. This is, of course, freedom.

We all have the freedom to live our lives how we see fit, and if we make wise decisions, and with a little bit of luck, we will succeed. Andrew Carnegie was a poor immigrant boy who worked hard and became one of the richest men in his times. My great grandparents came to this country when they were teenagers, knew no English, and yet, they worked hard and built up a decent life and raised beautiful families. There were no government programs to level the playing field for these people. They succeeded despite their initial conditions, largely by themselves, and they deserve the rewards of these actions.

I do believe that those with money should share their wealth out of compassion, but they are certainly under no obligation to do so. If they want to spend their money on pools and Hummers, then they may. I wonder what Bosch would do if she actually had millions of dollars. It is easy to criticize those who have much, but it's much harder to live up to your own standards if you are the one with the wealth.