Discordant note on beachfront
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 01/20/07
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James C. Morrison, 25, survived a tour in Iraq. But he didn't survive
a hard-core music club on Asbury Park's beachfront.
City officials must take whatever steps are
necessary to ensure the fate that befell Morrison, a Navy veteran
from Bass River found dead outside Club Deep six days ago, is never
repeated.
On Thursday, club owner AP Ventures Holding announced Club Deep would
be closing for the winter for renovations. The city and Asbury
Partners, the city's beachfront redeveloper, must decide if it's in
anyone's best interest for the hard-core music club to reopen at all
on the boardwalk or anywhere in the redevelopment area. And the city
must tighten the security protocols for its music venues.
Morrison was struck twice in a brawl inside Club Deep before the
patrons involved were ejected from the club, his family was told.
Police responding to a call found Morrison unconscious outside the
club, and he was pronounced dead at a hospital soon afterward.
Although hard-core music fans say their music doesn't draw violent
crowds, evidence suggests it can attract a violent element. Close
monitoring of venues like Club Deep by city officials is not only
appropriate, but imperative.
The fact Club Deep has a relationship with Asbury Partners shouldn't
cloud the city's judgment if it reopens, even if solutions such as
requiring off-duty police security might affect Asbury Partners'
bottom line.
A more famous Jim Morrison, of the Doors, who also died tragically
too young, is quoted as having said, "Violence isn't always evil.
What's evil is the infatuation with violence."
Asbury Park and music have a long, rich history. Music will continue
to play an important role in the city's beachfront redevelopment.
City officials and the beachfront's redevelopers must make certain
the music venues present and future do nothing to undermine
Asbury Park's efforts to restore its lost luster.
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