Do you think we could do this here in the U.S.?

[mcscajun]

Would our pubs/bars erupt in violence if we tried this kind of "entertainment" on this side of the Atlantic? As polarized as we are, is there anyone left to listen, or have we all been corrupted by more confrontational talk shows and "reality" TV? If you were going to a bar for this over here, who would you want to see hosting it?

Want a Debate With That Drink?

The New York Times

April 26, 2006
Letter From Dublin
Want a Debate With That Drink?
By BRIAN LAVERY

(snip)

"You were born in England, you live in England," said a gray-haired man in a crowded bar on the south side of Dublin.

"The mere fact that you're born in England does not mean that you owe allegiance to the queen," replied a bearded Muslim. "If I was born in a barn, does that make me a horse?" But then again, this was not your typical pub. It was Leviathan, a kind of soapbox-in-a-pub that has become the city's hottest ticket by capitalizing on two time-honored Irish traditions: drinking and arguing. Held on the first Thursday of every month, it draws a sell-out crowd to Crawdaddy, a subterranean club in the arched stone vault of an old train tunnel on Harcourt Street.

The lively if somewhat goofy forum is popular with union organizers, working stiffs and university students alike, who pay 20 euros ($25, at $1.26 to the euro) to be heard and entertained. Naoise Nunn, a comedy promoter who founded Leviathan two years ago, calls them the commentariat.

(snip)

Presiding over the forum, as usual, was the economist and rising media star David McWilliams, who employs an arched eyebrow and a knowing glance to provoke skepticism and laughter among the motley audience of about 300, which included scruffy students and sharply dressed lawyers.

(snip)

"It's about trying to recapture a bit of public space in this town," he says. "People here are educated," he says, but they like getting drunk. "There's nothing worse than a sober group taking itself too seriously."

http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/04/26/travel/26letter.html

PS: I wish I'd known this was going on in Dublin when I was there back in February. :)

[Horse with no Name]

1. Oh my

I believe we are wayyyyy too polarized to be able to engage in something like without armed police to referee.

Edit to add:
On second thought...I bet they could get some minor Emergency Rooms and funeral homes to sponsor it.;)

[mcscajun]

2. I believe you're right. The article made me yearn for that kind of

open dialogue here. It was a fascinating look at a more open culture than our own.

To anyone pausing on this thread, I really do recommend reading the entire article, it's a kick. Lots of description of, and quotes from, the event.

[northofdenali]

3. Can I move to Ireland now?

How hard is it to get a motorcyle the size of my RoadStar over there? I'll sell the Jeeps. Can I take the kitties? (Gotta take the kitties.)

Oh, my, that really sounds like my kind of place. There is ONE place here in Fairbanks similar to it, called the Howling Dog Saloon, but it's only open May - October (no heat). Everyone from us aging hippie bikers to military to college kids to Fox (not the TV thing, the town) locals.

What's it take to move to Ireland, I wonder? I could sure handle the weather - we're riding the bikes and today it's 39 degrees. Above, finally.

My other favoritist place:

[mcscajun]

4. I'd move to Ireland in a heartbeat if they'd have me.

The U.S. is still one of the most welcoming places on Earth. Most English-speaking countries around the world are a lot more restrictive on their immigration policies than we are.

If you're under 50 and a professional, or have a skill set they need, they'll consider you.
If you're over 50 and have a large sum in investable assets to start a business over there, they'll consider you.
If one of your grandparents or parents was born in Ireland, you are eligible to apply for Irish citizenship.

If you're like me, over 50, sliding down the income scale and only enough assets to keep me from ending up in poverty, they do NOT Want You. Retirees they can do without.

OTOH, if you are fortunate enough to live there as a retiree, seniors do NOT pay for their medications in Ireland.

I've spent two vacations there in the last two years, and OH, How I WISH I could live there.

[northofdenali]

6. Friends visited last year and almost became "illegals"

they loved it so much!!

Not retired, but my only skill set involves great keyboarding, research capabilities and a very sharp secretarial mind... oh well.

Maybe as a nanny! (Irony inserted here..)

[BooScout]

5. Sounds like a different take on Quiz nite at the local pub....

People over here love to have a good argument over a few pints. I have never seen a punch thrown...the biggest argument is always over who is buying the next round. :evilgrin: