Time for a political discussion

I read an interesting New York Times article today about a bar in Dublin that holds discussions about politics. Think of it like a bar with a music stage, except that instead of music, there are people discussing politics with some input from the crowd. Here's an excerpt from the article:

The crowd wasn't buying it. "Answer the question!" barks a 30-something heckler from the balcony. The audience members nod their heads in agreement. "Yes or no!" Mr. McWilliams, seated on a stool between the couches, steps into the fray. Switching from provocateur to mediator, he struggles to keep the discussion from boiling over into unintelligible shouting. "Now, now! You're getting very rowdy," he says, pointing an accusatory finger into the crowd, like a headmaster of an elite prep school.

Keeping the lid on is not always easy, especially as hecklers find courage at the bottom of a pint glass.

In truth, however, drunken interruptions are rare; the caliber of debate is usually quite high. The combination of alcohol and discourse, after all, is a time-honored tradition here. Centuries-old debating clubs, which are still popular and cherished at Irish universities, have produced a city full of people who know how to argue.

Frustrated by what many here see as the corporate-driven mass media, Dubliners today flock to public lectures at universities, royal academies and less-formal settings like Leviathan to exercise their verbal jousting.

Sounds like a lot of fun, doesn't it? I've traveled to quite a few countries outside of the U.S.--Ireland not among them--and I always thought that, in general, people in America don't participate enough in fun discussions such as this one. I'm not referring to voting, going to town halls, or PTAC meetings. I'm thinking of a not so serious venue, just having a beer and discussing... issues. The "combination of alcohol and discourse", as stated in the article. I think alcohol in this case can make the debate more lively. [BTW, the objective of this blog is not to bash America, I will have many positive things to say about America in future entries]

If I ever get a chance, I will set up a bar/restaurant with rows of long wooden tables (or circular ones situated close to each other) where people who don't know each other can meet and talk and a stage up in front for music, speakers, or debaters. Such a venue would help to fill the void in today's urban culture.

"Hey buddy! Your little doggy doesn't need another walk around the street today. Come down to the bar for a discussion and entertain the cells in your brains not being utilized very much".