The Acorn editorial "The NIMBYs have won again" was a disservice to the people of Thousand Oaks. Rather than a setback, the Superior Court decision was a victory for the United States Constitution and the protection of a free society from unwarranted governmental intrusion.

On the eve of our 233rd celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the principles of self-rule were upheld by a finely tuned system of checks and balances.

The court ruling prohibited the waste of more than $24 million by the city of Thousand Oaks and the Conejo Recreation and Park District (CRPD) in violation of the city's own charter!

Let's reframe the issue.

Imagine government, manipulated by a council of inflated egos serving self interests, were to implement programs in violation of the people's rights.

Suppose the government were to declare eminent domain and usurp the Acorn's private resources for public use.

Surely, the Acorn wouldn't object. Suppose local sports fields became unusable; certainly the Acorn wouldn't object to a government edict commanding the paper's parking lot for soccer games in Agoura Hills.

Yes, kids need a place to play baseball. But we don't need lighted fields and hockey rinks while cutting back expenditures for public schools. Should 12year-olds play baseball at night because we have no money for their education? The dollar stretches so far; perhaps someone lost sight of Economics 101.

Then again, CRPD is spending our money, not theirs!

Residents of Lang Ranch expected a "community park," wooded walkways, picnic areas and grassy fields, a serene, safe place in the neighborhood. Sounds wonderful!

But CRPD envisioned a massive concrete sports facility serving the interests of private entrepreneurs using public property.

CRPD doesn't care about the noise, light pollution and traffic congestion because it wasn't in their backyard.

Lang Ranch would welcome a community park. Instead, CRPD appointed the president of Little League as a director, that his interests supersede the rights of the people.

Bottom line? Developers and financial interests lost in court; the people won.

Change NIMBY to TGUSC (Thank God for the United States Constitution). Jeffrey Wissot Westlake Village