Drinking Liberally

In polite conversation, politics are taboo, a white elephant (or donkey) carefully avoided at office water coolers, family gatherings and dinner parties.
Except among the Drinking Liberally crowd, a social group formed to accommodate all that pent-up political banter.
One Tuesday a month, table tents at Salmon Creek Brewery & Pub in downtown Vancouver direct people to Drinking Liberally's reserved section. Group members start trickling in after 7 p.m., coming from work, the gym or dinner. The majority are regulars, but newcomers quickly are welcomed into the boisterous fold. Everyone is encouraged to chime in on discussions that range from elections to local businesses to "Saturday Night Live" sketches.
The meetings offer the liberal-minded who live in predominantly conservative Clark County an outlet for sharing their viewpoints. They're an oasis for people whose political stances might be more popular across the river, said Regina Ferrier of Vancouver, one of the chapter's co-founders.
"Portland tends to be a little more left-leaning than Vancouver, so it's great to get together with similar-minded folks," Ferrier said.
Ferrier, along with sister-in-law Kathy Ferrier and Alice Norton, started the Vancouver chapter in August 2006.
It's one of 246 chapters in 46 states. Discourse at Drinking Liberally meetings covers local issues such as the
debate over light rail, state politics including the proposed Death With Dignity initiative, and national and international affairs. Discussions can get heated, but ultimately people respect differing opinions and relish the chance to educate themselves and chat with other involved citizens, Regina Ferrier said.
The group is nonpartisan, but it attracts "left-leaning, progressive" people, Ferrier said. While most members are Democrats, Republicans and Libertarians sometimes attend meetings.
On a recent Tuesday evening, regular participants and first-timers came together for pints of beer, glasses of lemonade, fried veggies and lively banter.
The presidential race was on everyone's mind.
A.G. Flynn of Hazel Dell used her cell phone to go online. She informed the group that Hillary Clinton had just claimed victory over Barack Obama in the West Virginia Democratic primary. The Drinking Liberally crew nonetheless felt confident that Obama would secure the Democratic nomination, despite the "Wright factor," fallout from incendiary comments by Obama's former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
"Talk about a man who needs the limelight," said Torun Holden of Vancouver, referring to Wright. "It's a good thing I'm not judged by the people I know," she added.
"It's like (Wright's) running for president," Bill Burwell observed. A Drinking Liberally newbie, Burwell already felt comfortable voicing his opinions.
That type of free, open environment was exactly what Burwell hoped to find when he ventured into the pub.
"I'm a liberal. I go places and most people don't want to talk about politics. It gets people riled up," Burwell, of Vancouver, said.
Shane O'Reilly, too, came to Drinking Liberally to talk politics without fear of offending.
"I avoid talking about politics if I don't know people very well," noted O'Reilly, of Vancouver.
Drinking Liberally meetings do more than connect like-minded individuals, though. Members go to meetings wanting to challenge their perspectives and become more knowledgeable about what's happening in the world.
Membership varies widely in terms of age, occupation, interests and background, and everyone in the group has areas of expertise. O'Reilly and Holden, both English teachers at Battle Ground High School, keep current on proposed school levies and bond issues. Flynn closely follows local elections. Ferrier, whose 1928 Spanish Colonial home in Vancouver's Shumway neighborhood lies on a possible light-rail line, tracks the Columbia River Crossing project.
Chapter meetings are "a great way to get educated," Holden said.

Did you know?
• Drinking Liberally was founded in New York City in 2003. The group now has 246 chapters in 46 states and the District of Columbia, according to the Drinking Liberally Web site, drinkingliberally.org .
• The Vancouver chapter meets at 7 p.m. the second Tuesday of every month at Salmon Creek Brewery & Pub, 108 W. Evergreen Blvd., Vancouver. For more information, visit drinkingliberally.org or e-mail vancouver@drinkingliberally.org . Online video: To view video footage of the May Drinking Liberally gathering at Salmon Creek Brewery & Pub, visit columbian.com/multimedia .