Welcome! Welcome to Drinking Liberally—Scottsbluff
…a new home for left-leaning/liberal/progressive/populist-minded folks in the Wyobraska area! We're jumping into this with not much idea what the end result might be, but we figure it's worth a try! A few of us have talked for some time about trying to find a way to get like-minded folks in this area together now and then for some informal socializing and occasional red-state commiserating! ;) Things just never came together on this, but when we recently stumbled upon Drinking Liberally , we started thinking that this was just the type of group/structure that could move our original idea forward. So here we are :)
The name of this group might rub a few of you the wrong way. Please take a few minutes and visit the Drinking Liberally website to read about the purpose of our network (which is NOT simply getting tanked and making Dick Cheney jokes!). We also think this Alternet article is particularly good in discussing the history and purpose of DL.
Regarding "Liberal"… this word has become poisonous in American culture, due in no small part to the effective efforts of some conservatives to quite consciously use specific language to demonize the Left in the minds of many Americans (e.g. Newt Gingrich's infamous 1995 GOPAC memo ). DL-Scottsbluff is not primarily about labels or parties, but rather ideas, ideals and priorities. In fact, many of us feel that we spend far too much of our time and energy arguing about label and party-based stereotypes rather than the specifics of actual ideas, ideals and priorities. So we would simply say this: if you find that your personal ideas, ideals and policies aren't generally reflected by the public leaders and political discourse of this area, you might find DL a breath of fresh of air…we hope you'll swing by to an upcoming gathering and see what you think…
4th Thursday of Every Month
The Emporium, Scottsbluff
7-9 p.m.
Please check back here now and then for announcements, information, intellectually stimulating conversation, etc., and please feel free to contribute! :)
Your Co-Hosts,
Colin Croft & Monique Larsen