Birds of a feather share a discussion together; Drinking Liberally comes to town.

• Author: Spencer, Susan
• Position: Local

Byline: Susan Spencer

MILFORD -- Who says it's not polite to talk politics at social gatherings?

For the last seven years, a dozen or two dozen area residents of the admittedly left-leaning persuasion have gathered twice a month at the Turtle Tavern on Main Street to hoist a few, nosh on pretzel sticks and chicken wings and engage in an evening of lively political discussion.

The group, which counts around 250 members on its distribution list, is a local chapter of a national organization called Drinking Liberally.

It's one of two Drinking Liberally chapters in Worcester County, along with one that meets in Southboro.

"This is the shelter from the storm,'' said chapter leader Christine Crean, a social worker from Milford, on Wednesday night as members found nearly-obscured parking spots and climbed around snowbanks to make their way into the pub.

"It's a place to banter, a safe haven for independent thinking.''

The format is casual. Members show up on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month from 6:30 p.m. on, and there's no structured agenda, just conversation.

The group includes lawyers, business people, technology professionals and retirees, among the range of backgrounds. They come from the Worcester area, Blackstone Valley and Interstate 495 belt. Several are involved in their Democratic town committees.

"We've had conservatives attend, but they tend to fall off because it is a liberal group,'' said John Tehan of Milford.

Ms. Crean said the group welcomes participants to voice their opinions regardless of political affiliation.

"Not everybody is in lock step with each other,'' she said. "We're liberals. We welcome everybody.''

Even within the group, there have been heated debates about such issues as the death penalty, taxation and the children seeking refuge in the United States from Honduras last summer.

"And how much to get involved in the Green Party? How much to be involved in the Democratic Party? Can you do both?'' added Joyce Notine from Bellingham. "I think (Sen.) Bernie Sanders (independent from Vermont) is walking that line.''

Another hot topic was media consolidation and what some saw as the echo chamber of right-wing broadcasters.

"Freedom of the press, we feel, is in jeopardy because it's being hijacked by Fox News and talk radio,'' said Stephen Kearns of Lincoln, R.I. "I think the country is basically left-leaning, but I think the right-wing media has hijacked that message.''

"Reagan basically killed the media,''...