One would think — and hope — that one incident of gunfire would be enough to question the existence of a Madison establishment. For Club Majestic, though, three violent incidents and several complaints are what finally provoked city officials to consider taking action against the club, and may, in fact, lead to its closure later this week.
With the recent surge in violence throughout downtown Madison, a no-tolerance policy is necessary, and must be implemented. Crime in your restaurant or bar? Repeated calls made to the police resulting in extra surveillance? It's time for owners to take one for the team and close their establishments until their patrons calm down, essentially helping to make much-needed police more available to other downtown crime issues, of which we have many.
In the case of Club Majestic, for example, the owners have repeatedly tried to improve security measures with no avail. Additional streetlights and surveillance cameras have done nothing to curb the violence. Although all good solutions to a crime problem, their failure to work should have been a red flag to the owners, who, as a result, should have taken responsibility for the ongoing violence that continually occurs in the club.
Although there is a long list of disturbances on the club's record, the problem began when residents began complaining about late-night noise, and progressed with reported shots fired at bar time. The problem has since escalated and continued to make headlines with ongoing fights between patrons, who often leave the club intoxicated en masse.
To complicate things further, some argue that the violence ensues because of the club's hip-hop entertainment, making the crime an issue surrounding race, rather than management. It is not the music, but the poor monitoring of clientele and an ineffective security detail that is to blame.
Don't get me wrong; Madison officials, including Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, have done a good job at monitoring the situation thus far, but it seems chance that nothing more serious has resulted from the violence. Cieslewicz and the other officials need to put this issue to rest, and fast.
Crime in Madison has been such a hot-button issue lately — as I'm sure the headquarter-seeking Guardian Angels will attest to — and must be met by officials who will no longer tolerate continual disturbances.
The three punishments that have been noted by the press as solutions to Club Majestic's crime wave are insufficient. The choices include suspending or revoking the club's performing arts license in an attempt to draw fewer patrons to the club, suspending or revoking its liquor license, or simply filing a nuisance complaint.
Let's not waste our time or money on temporary solutions that are sure to prove ineffective, and instead let's set a precedent by temporarily closing Club Majestic.
Although it may seem unfair to make Club Majestic the scapegoat for an issue that is undoubtedly just as much the fault of the patrons as it is of the owners, this is the only viable solution. The management had its chance, and now must succumb to the wishes of the city.
The club's closure will surely send a message to miscreants that their behavior will not be tolerated and will instead ruin the fun for everyone. It will also reprimand business owners who continue to employ lax security measures despite increasing numbers of violent episodes.
The club's resources are depleted, and the city officials must take a stand. Closing Club Majestic will be the first of many steps on a long road to conquering the crime in Madison.
The recent local attacks are reason enough for Madison officials to rule in favor of closing the club, as more time will consequently be spent on other problem areas desperately in need of police enforcement.
Emily Friedman ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in journalism and legal studies.
