Perhaps denial of liquor li­cense is discriminatory

I have patronized the Garibaldi Restaurant in Keyport many times, both to dine out and to take home food. I have been there in the evening and the daytime, and I do not see the negative portrayal of the restaurant by residents as fair. The restaurant is clean, the food authentic and well prepared, and there is a mixed bag of customers. I have never felt my safety was threatened by being there.

I do not doubt residents saw some beer bottles in the street, or even the assertion of loud music from the restaurant; however, these situations can occur in the area of any business. No doubt there are laws in Keyport to regulate litter and noise. The owner of Garibaldi’s, Elio Martinez, should be held accountable for obeying these laws, just as any business owner should. As for the stabbing incident in the area, it is unclear how this pertains to Martinez’s business. The other "numerous incidents of misbehavior" seem to be attributed to loitering outside the restaurant, which should be a correctable condition if the Keyport Police Department patrols the area and cites loiterers, as well as Martinez for letting the condition exist. The police department should be there to enforce the law and protect the residents. Jeffrey Fink said giving a license to Martinez is "detrimental to the community," and he "hasn’t seen anything by this restaurant to show that they’re interested in the well-being of the community." It would seem Martinez could control the consumption of alcohol if he were actually selling it. How can Fink be so sure some of the alleged public drunkenness doesn’t spill over from the area bars that are in walking distance from Garibaldi’s? Martinez has — in the interest of the well-being of the community — posted signs all around the restaurant’s windows stating, "In order to better serve our community, no loitering please." In the interest of fairness, Martinez should be given a chance to prove his worthiness to hold a liquor license. Perhaps this is less about worthiness, than it is about the diffusion of discrimination and hate toward Mexican immigrants in Monmouth County. The weakness of the allegations used to deny Martinez a liquor license makes me wonder if this isn’t the case.

Dolores Burr Forsyth

Hazlet