A comparatively short diary (at least for me) on the value of political meet-up groups follows (after the jump) ....
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At least once a year I make a plea (in this space) for people to attend a political meet-up ... at least one time. It may turn out not to be your cup of tea (or may be quite impractical) but for most people ... it can be a revelation. And
especially if you live in a red state/region (with trips to visit family at holiday times being especially stressful). After all, it's easy to be a liberal in New York City or San Francisco ... it takes fortitude to be one in a rural conservative area.
And so why not attend a gathering where you will not have to apologize for your basic beliefs? Not to say that we as left-of-center people agree on everything - goodness, spend any time here and you'll see that is not the case. But you can state your core beliefs and not be branded as an enemy-of-the-state (or even worse). For the individual who wants just to socialize, it's the perfect setting. Or if you wish to become more politically involved, but don't feel up to knocking on the door of party headquarters ... well, this is a relaxed, easy way to begin.
As someone who is a co-host of a chapter of Drinking Liberally - which over time has become a much larger umbrella organization, as will be noted - I wholeheartedly recommend stopping in. There is no membership, no need to pay anything (besides what you may spend on food and beverage) and no need to RSVP ... just show up, stay as long (or as little) as you desire. Some groups have weekly gatherings, some 2x/month (like our group), still others monthly.
It began in New York City back in 2003, and our chapter sprang-up after I had read Atrios praise the Philadelphia chapter ... in the wake of the 2004 election debacle.
What is Drinking Liberally?
An informal, inclusive progressive social group. 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.
And it's very easy to start a chapter: find a local bistro that is suitable for a group, choose a standard date (once a month is good to start with) and contact the D/L management ... they'll get you started easily.
I mentioned that the original D/L concept has expanded (and I have even heard of informal offshoots like Knitting Liberally in some places):
Drinking Liberally is a project of Living Liberally, an organization which builds progressive communities through social networks and events. Living Liberally also runs Laughing Liberally, the political comedy project; Screening Liberally, a series of socially-conscious films; Eating Liberally, events with good gab and great grub; and Reading Liberally, book tours for progressive authors. Living Liberally is a New York-based LLC, led by a team in NYC and fueled by the energy of hundreds of volunteers and partners around the country.
Every year D/L conducts an annual one-day conference for chapter hosts and mainstays: three years ago I did a comprehensive photo diary of such a gathering in Salt Lake City - yes, it's quite possible to drink liberally there - and the local chapter hosts special events open to the public. Here from that diary was a keynote speaker: Salt Lake Tribune left-of-center political cartoonist Pat Bagley - winner of the 2009 Herblock Prize for editorial cartoonists. Wonderful to meet people around the Utah region and share stories with them of local politics. That diary is at this link with many photos.
Our Daily Kos compatriot cskendrick wrote about the chapter he is heavily involved with in Charlotte, North Carolina - and many chapters have interesting guest speakers from time-to-time.
While on a recent vacation in Memphis, Tennessee: a local elected official gave a short address on a local matter at the Drinking Liberally chapter's gathering ... but was delighted to talk to me, even though I was not a constituent.
Perhaps the best endorsement of D/L came not from a liberal .... but instead from a reporter for the conservative Weekly Standard - where writer Matt Labash attended a session (and to his credit didn't hide who he was) .... simply partaking of the discussion.
The group tells me that they often don’t discuss politics very much at their political gatherings. “Most of us live in the middle muddle,” Booker says. “We have certain tendencies in some directions. But we’re by and large caring people, have a kindly disposition toward our fellow sufferers, so we want socially to have kindness or gentleness be a part of our character. But at the same time, we want to make sure that we get to keep what we earn and we want to have a strong defense. So finding that right balance is a perennial problem.”
After making a night of it, I like these people. Enough that I’d like to drink with them.
But if there is no chapter nearby (and you do not have a pioneer spirit) ... then attending a DK meet-up is another option. Just this past weekend, a gathering was held in
Portland, Maine - and below is one of the photos that the event chronicler posted in a very nice
photo diary of the event.
How do you get in on this racket action? Well, the incomparable navajo highlights meet-up groups in her frequent New Day diary series ... any meet-up can count on her support.
She's gone one-step-beyond, even .... first posting a comprehensive list of existing meet-up groups (along with contact information). So you may be within reach of an existing group, who would be delighted to welcome you.
And, if you do not see an existing chapter - especially in a red-state region, where such a meet-up is more beneficial for our kind - navajo published a guide on how to start a meet-up group.
Finally, if all of this seems daunting: post a request in the New Day or other series for information on any like-minded people in your area. Even if you're rather shy about organizing an event: you may be able to entice others, who may be more willing (and eager) to organize something. In short: don't be afraid to ask for help ... having companions can help lighten-the-load.
Now, on to Top Comments:
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From lineatus:
In his own diary - about the Alabama barge explosion disaster - jpmassar asked when it would start raining frogs? To which (downthread) Lily O Lady had the unfortunate (yet perfect) answer.
From
brillig:
In answer to wyvern's question in ProgLegs' diary Top GOP Consultant Calls Limbaugh "Problematic" on Hidden Mother Jones Tape... yes, yes we have. I'm grateful to the student who heard no recordings and turned his ON.
From Avila:
In yesterday's Abbreviated Pundit Round-Up - brooklynbadboy's concise and correct definition of the Republican Party is fascinating - and an insight that puts so much else about Republicans in perspective.
From
commonmass:
In the front-page story by kos entitled Ask me Anything - Alyosha Karamazov asks the big question (one that Bill Clinton was once asked on MTV) ... and kos replies. From that same diary .....
From
BeninSC:
Obviously this fellow does not need promotion in Top Comments, but I am submitted this comment from kos because of its content. Daily Kos isn't JUST about the politics.
From
NearlyNormal:
In the front-page comic Architecture as metaphor by MattWuerker - I really thought this comment by JML9999 was quick-witted.
And from
Ed Tracey, your faithful correspondent this evening ........
In the diary by AlyoshaKaramazov about Adam Savader - the young, dorky GOP staffer who was arrested for extorting nude pictures from women he knew - Herodotus Prime wonders if Savader (like Karl Rove) is still upset about being treated badly in high school - and is seeking revenge as an adult?
In today's Daily Kos Economics journal about the continued fallout from the discredited report issued by Reinhart/Rogoff - KYrocky notes some of the flaws ..... along with the-company-they-kept.
Finally, in the diary by Jim P about the poor attendance by Senators at a hearing dealing with the long-term unemployed - and no Republicans at all - some pithy comments came in from BDA in VA as well as Gooserock and dave1042 (the last quite personal).
TOP PHOTOS
April 24, 2013
Next - enjoy jotter's wonderful PictureQuilt™ below. Just click on the picture and it will magically take you to the comment that features that photo.
(NOTE: Any missing images in the Quilt were removed because (a) they were from an unapproved source that somehow snuck through in the comments, or (b) it was an image from the DailyKos Image Library which didn't have permissions set to allow others to use it.)
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And lastly: yesterday's Top Mojo - mega-mojo to the intrepid mik ...... who rescued this feature from oblivion:
1) One of my favorite quotes by Dallasdoc — 221
2) Christians can just pray for God to help but by merrywidow — 191
3) Sending waves of love and healing by JoanMar — 159
4) Photo of my Shicheii, a medicine man, I'll think by navajo — 143
5) The purported reasons for "austerity" measures by Ray Pensador — 136
6) Many of us have other connections on fundraising by FishOutofWater — 121
7) Interesting, thanks for the peek behind by lgmcp — 117
8) Agreed by DarkSyde — 111
9) Data-driven ANYTHING by kos — 111
10) Oh wow by Scottie Thomaston — 108
11) Our thoughts and prayers are with you Shanikka by FishOutofWater — 108
12) My spouse went through just this, by lgmcp — 104
13) {{{{{{HUGS}}}}}} shanikka by cfk — 98
14) Hey everybody -- by Sara R — 91
15) lit a candle,sending out my best thoughts- by swampyankee — 87
16) Religion does not equal morality by Dallasdoc — 86
17) Obama's economic policy based on bad math by Betty Pinson — 83
18) I send my best wishes by decembersue — 82
19) For shanikka: by Aji — 77
20) Exactly by Damnit Janet — 76
21) Obama's alienating base, including economists... by bobswern — 76
22) shanikka by Laurence Lewis — 75
23) You did your late friend a great service by peregrine kate — 74
24) Strong lady by Burned — 72
25) I've probably by kos — 71
26) Best wishes for a successful and complete by nchristine — 70
27) Nice diary by MarkC — 69
28) Not all christians. by RadicalParrot — 69
29) She is. by sidnora — 67
30) Prayers and healing thoughts for Shanikka by Ricochet67 — 65