People Get in Way of a Good Theory

Regarding the story headlined “Poll Finds Home Buyers Prefer Simple Pleasures” (by Kenneth R. Harney, June 20), I don’t know if it was intentional or not, but you’ve discredited most of the so-called urban planners and social engineers who litter your opinion pages on a regular basis.

Personally I’m getting a little tired of pointy-headed professional hand-wringers accusing me of contributing to modern evils such as “suburban sprawl,” “spatial greed,” “gridlock,” “isolationism” and destruction of “community” because I don’t interact with my neighbors.

Your article also proves what I’ve suspected all along--the planning jackboots and their elite corps--academic theorists, have it all figured out. The one element that screws them up is that people keep getting in the way.

Facts and figures trump theory every time when you’re dealing with the choices individuals make.

Bravo to The Times for publishing this nugget--I’m sure the collectivists out there are horrified.

DAVID GREGORY

Van Nuys