What matters to me in Dasani's story, and what should matter to many of us, is how difficult it is for children with real talent and ambition to escape their ci

What matters to me in Dasani's story, and what should matter to many of us, is how difficult it is for children with real talent and ambition to escape their circumstances. Think about the temptations that must be in front of her - sure, her mind and her strength and her beauty could eventually lift her out of poverty, but they could also make her a phenomenally successful drug dealer or thief. Or frustration could drive her to wasting her mind with drugs, or committing small stupid crimes that put her in the revolving door of prisons. I grew up poor, although not as poor as her. I know how frustrating and difficult it is for talented, ambitious children. I got lucky, but there were so many ways it could have gone wrong, and nearly did. But here's what worries me, and should worry lots of people. Call it arrogance, but I firmly believe real progress in our society is made by those top few percent with both the talent and ambition to do something new, something dangerous and important. Most people either can't or won't. So when society wastes one of them in the ghetto, it hurts all of us.