It was May 29, 2003, when a few of us gathered in the backyard of a dive bar on the westside of Manhattan … and Drinking Liberally was born. As of yesterday, 14 years and counting.
At the time, it felt like the darkest political moment of our lives, in a presidency that was defying the Constitution, starting a major, unnecessary war built on lies, and threatening the rule of law.
Over the years of the Bush administration, Drinking Liberally grew from a few friends in a bar to hundreds of chapters all around the country, and even the world — from Idaho to South Carolina, the heart of Texas to the towns of South Dakota, and everywhere in between — giving liberals everywhere a home to find folks who shared their values and would share conversation while sharing a beer (or a non-alcoholic alternative).
Everywhere Drinking Liberally groups — and Laughing Liberally comedy shows, Reading Liberally book clubs, and all the programs of the Living Liberally world — have gathered has provided one more staple that’s connected the political energy of campaigns and news cycles onto a longer lasting social fabric. We’ve been a welcome recharging station for seasoned activists, a gateway to political newcomers, a stomping ground for candidates, a local landing pad for allies, and a presence that has remained constant in many communities, not disappearing between campaign cycles or vanishing during a Democratic presidency. [Read more…]