I would like to respond to the recent letter by Bill Bradshaw from Pacific Beach (“Stands by his alcohol ban guest commentary,” Sept. 18 Beacon, page 6), and his other articles supporting Proposition D, the permanent and total ban of alcohol in San Diego parks and beaches. All arguments for and against the ban aside, there is one truth that no one can deny: the ban has had enormous effects on Ocean Beach. Anyone who tells you that the ban has not kept tourists and San Diegans off Ocean Beach this summer is being unreasonable or intentionally misleading. Anyone can compare summer weekends of any of the last several years, when you had to go early to get a good spot for your beach barbecue, to this past summer, when the beach was desolate all weekend long. First, the weather was blamed. Then the shark attack. Then the economy. But we all know the reason for the deserted beaches is the beach-alcohol ban. To some people, I’m sure this drastic change is an improvement. They don’t have to share “their” beach with tourists or lower-class people that live inland. Parking is easier. There are no lines at the check-out counters. Ban supporters claim the sparse beach attendees are now traditional families and that the hordes of philandering frat boys have magically disappeared. I can’t speak for Pacific Beach, but in OB we had families of all kinds at the beach before the ban. We never had those crazy binge parties with two-story beer bongs shown in shocking videos to begin with. Now, we have neither. We, and everyone else, have our peaceful barbecues in our backyards. I will agree with ban supporters that I don’t see many drunken homeless people on Ocean Beach anymore. Now, I pass them on the way to the beach. They are still there, breaking existing laws about public drunkenness and open containers where and when not permitted, just like before the ban. The only difference is that they, too, are going about their normal business a block inland. I think we should put aside the disputed statistics: ban opponents claim that drunk driving incidents are now up (true) and ban proponents claim that every crime near the beach before the ban was alcohol-related and will now be solved. As Bill Bradshaw points out, causality for statistics is difficult to prove. Of course, he can’t have it both ways. You can’t dispute drunk driving statistics while simultaneously insinuating that a brutal attack on an Australian tourist near the Ocean Beach Pier would have been prevented by the ban, as Mr. Bradshaw did on voiceofsandiego.org. Of course, the incident occurred many hours after the 8 p.m. alcohol curfew, and the perpetrators obviously would not respect any law that Mr. Bradshaw would see passed. Let’s also put aside claims of where each side is getting financial support. Opponents of the ban have requested the support of the mythical “big alcohol” lobby but, in fact, have received $0 to date. Where the ban supporters get the money for all their glossy yard signs is not the point either. Although the negative economic impacts of the ban to Ocean Beach businesses appear dramatic to all of us, it’s true that we can’t separate those effects from the concurrent economic downturn. So let’s just agree to disagree on that. In fact, let’s put all the corrolary arguments aside and get down to the core of the issue: Proposition D is a fight for Ocean Beach’s, and San Diego’s, soul. If you enjoyed the beach culture of OB before the ban, vote no. If the sight of the empty beach depresses you, vote no. If you believe that you and your friends should be able to peacefully and responsibly enjoy OB just as you have for years without incident, vote no. If, however, you have lived by the beach in San Diego for years but also inexplicably hated it because of beach alcohol, vote yes. If you are happy that you don’t have to share “your” beach community with other San Diegans and the rest of the world (except for the homeless; I’m afraid they are here to stay), vote yes. If you want Ocean Beach to be like “virtually every major beach city in Southern California,” as proponents are quick to point out, then vote yes. Your yes vote can help put an end to what I love about Ocean Beach and turn it into everywhere else. Make sure you also stop in and support the Starbucks on the corner of Newport and Bacon before you head to the polls.