Friday, November 04, 2005

Drinking Liberally - coming soon to Rich O's?

I've received a pleasant e-mail from one of the founders of Louisville's Drinking Liberally chapter.

Before divulging the note's contents, you should know what Drinking Liberally is, and here's the answer, courtesy of the organization's national web site.

Drinking Liberally: An informal, inclusive Democratic drinking club. Raise your spirits while you raise your glass, and share ideas while you share a pitcher. Drinking Liberally gives like-minded, left-leaning individuals a place to talk politics. You don't need to be a policy expert and this isn't a book club - just come and learn from peers, trade jokes, vent frustration and hang out in an environment where it's not taboo to talk politics.

Bars are democratic spaces - you talk to strangers, you share booths, you feel the bond of common ground. Bring democratic discourse to your local democratic space - build Democracy one drink at a time.

Drinking Liberally's motto is, "Promoting democracy one pint at a time," and this sounds suitably noble. Already I'm considering matching certain styles of beer with particular topics.

All this has come up because some regular patrons of the Louisville chapter's Thursday night gatherings, which are held at the original Bluegrass Brewing Company on Shelbyville Road, believe there may be sentiment for a New Albany chapter, which would meet at Rich O's and quaff $8 pints of Progressive Beer.

As a counterweight, albeit tiny, to the prevailing crackpot sentiments of theocratic fascism washing over Indiana's shores (see 'Intelligent design' debate coming in this morning's Courier-Journal), I'd be delighted to host Drinking Liberally at my pub, perhaps in the new conference/banquet wing that we're hoping to have finished in December.

Negotiations toward this end have been initiated, so stay tuned for further details.

(Crossposted at Potable Curmudgeon)

6 comments:

Iamhoosier said...

Sounds like a good idea. I would be interested in this.

Smoking or Non? Just kidding!!

The New Albanian said...

No, it's a good question. If it comes to be held in the new area, it will be non-smoking. Depends on the ultimate size of the group and the arrangements yet to be concluded.

Highwayman said...

Are we there yet? I'm ready to learn and exchange ideas!

The New Albanian said...

Should be soon ... mere logistics.

Anonymous said...

So are us right leaning individuals excluded or would we be chewed up and abused if we came?

Also, curious to know if your comment:
"to the prevailing crackpot sentiments of theocratic fascism washing over Indiana's shores"

was referring to the idea of Intelligent design or just the fact that they want to mandate the teaching.

The New Albanian said...

Could be both.

I see no reason why there would be exclusions to the guest list, seeing as it's a "public house" and always has been open to all.