Establishments should be held responsible for violations that occur on their premises or are related to activities that happened at the business.

The Lansing City Council has taken away the liquor license from one bar and is considering taking away another’s. L.A. Globe will lose its license May 1. Lansing City Attorney Jim Smiertka said he will recommend the city council take away Coscarelli’s license. A committee could make a recommendation on Coscarelli’s on May 16, the Lansing State Journal reported in an article Sunday.

Coscarelli’s, an Italian restaurant and sports bar, tops the city in liquor violations and police reports. There have been 11 assaults - seven involving weapons, seven fights and five drug violations - including a cocaine delivery charge - during a 26-month period, the article said.

L.A. Globe is tied for second in police reports and is second in liquor violations during the 26-month period. There have been two shootings, 12 assaults and three fights at the bar in that time.

The report also stated of 71 Lansing bars, at least 53 have no liquor violations in the past five years and at least 54 have had fewer than 20 police reports taken between Jan. 1, 1999, and Feb. 28, 2001. The city had not taken away a liquor license in 20 years before deciding to take away L.A. Globe’s in March.

Establishments should take responsibility for incidents that occur at their businesses. It is a manager’s or owner’s responsibility to establish rules that can help curb violations and to follow the law. If businesses cannot consistently comply with regulations, it is only right to punish them by taking their liquor licenses away or forcing the businesses to close entirely. However, each business should be held to the same standards.

The Dollar Nightclub has as many police reports as L.A. Globe in the 26-month period. The reports included seven assaults, three fights and 11 incidents of disturbing the peace, the Lansing State Journal reported.

L.A. Globe’s owners have filed a complaint with the Michigan Civil Rights Commission citing racial discrimination. The clientele of L.A. Globe is predominately black, while The Dollar entertains a mostly white crowd.

While The Dollar’s violations are not liquor-related, the city should be equally concerned and tough on the bar. The violations are still numerous and a nuisance to the community. This unequal treatment of the bars gives the impression that the city’s actions are racially motivated.

It is important businesses take the initiative to operate within the law, but patrons should also take responsibility for their actions. While an establishment can try to monitor the alcohol intake of a customer and cut off the person when necessary, people should know when to cut themselves off. A business can be very careful and still end up with a violation because of a belligerent customer.

Businesses should take responsibility for incidents that occur on their premises and should serve the punishment the city deems necessary. However, the city should aim to treat all businesses the same and focus on community interest and not race or other factors of the establishment’s clientele.

But, it is also the responsibility of the patrons to remain within the confines of the law while having a good time.