Conference Questions (2013) forum discussion (contd)

Committee No. 2 

Question 1: 

Share experience on getting articles on AA in the local press and make suggestions on how the Fellowship can get articles into the national press.

Background

1. Members are having some success on getting articles on AA in their local newspapers
2. The Fellowship has not succeeded so far in getting articles on AA in the national press.

[See also: The Traditions, Preamble and Concepts]

Extracts:

“ I think the Fellowship has been successful in getting articles in the national press, only these are the wrong type. I suggest the fellowship is encouraged to read the following national press articles online; then change its behaviour accordingly.

2013: Washington Post: “Alcoholics Anonymous Wrestles with its Spiritual Roots” 20th March 2013

2011: The Fix: “Toronto’s A.A. Intergroup Bounces Atheists after Spirited Battle” 06/06/11

2011: The Fix: “Is There A Place For Atheists in Alcoholics Anonymous? 14/06/11

2009: The Independent: "Tom Shone Takes on the All Powerful Cult of Alcoholics Anonymous" The Independent July 12th, 2009

2009: Washington post: “Court rules AA not religious” March 20th 2009

2007: Washington Post: “AA Group Leads Members Away from Traditions” July 22nd, 2007

2007: Newsweek: “A Struggle inside AA” May 6th, 2007

2007: San Fransisco Chronical “Appeals Court Says Requirement to Attend AA Unconstitutional” 7th September 2007

2001: The Guardian: “Killer Cleared after confession at AA meeting is ruled religious” August 3rd 2001

2000: The Guardian: “Drink Advice Service Confronts Sex abuse” July 5th 2000

1998: The Independent: “Cult or cure: the AA backlash” 10th May 1998

The fellowship might become successful in getting more positive articles in the national press in future, as opposed to the mixed or negative reviews, if some AA groups start using the original AA program and original AA history published by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Inc. and AA Grapevine Inc., instead of the perverted programs and history published outside of AA. These appear to imply today’s AA program is watered down and theirs to be the “ original” 12 step program when in fact, the opposite is true. I think the outside AA published programs and history have been watered down with “tough love” treatment center programs or are biased with the author's personal religious preferences. These watered down programs include those published by the likes of Dick B (International Christian Recovery Coalition Inc; Freedom Ranch Maui Inc.) Joe McQ (Serenity Park Treatment Center, Recovery Dynamics) Wally P. (aabacktobasics, Faith with Works Publishing Inc.) Father Martin® (Father Martins Ashley Treatment Center, Ashley Inc.) Wayne B (The Last Mile Foundation Inc.) and Hazeldon publications. The programs of these self-appointed AA teachers and historians, their outside AA publications, and the material their organisations put on the internet are not AA. I think Conference has to make this clear to the fellowship and also to the general public.

I think the national Public Information Committee might have some success in getting more positive articles about AA in the national press if it did a press release in line with Concept 12 Warranty Five: “Whenever and however we can, we shall need to inform the general public also; especially upon misuses of the name Alcoholics Anonymous.” “We simply request that the public use of the A.A. name be avoided by those other agencies who wish to avail themselves of A.A. techniques or ideas.” (Concept 12, Warranty Five) I don’t think the national Public Information Committee has too much to worry about press releases informing the general public of misuses of the AA name being publicly controversial, because sadly the time for the fellowship to avoid public controversy passed some years ago. Nor do I think the committee has to too much to worry about such action being controversial within the fellowship either.

“For fear of controversy, our leadership should not go timid when lively debate and forthright action is a necessity. And for fear of accumulating prestige and power, we should never fail to endow our trusted leaders with proper authority to act for us. Let us never fear needed change. Certainly we have to discriminate between changes for worse and changes for better. But once a need becomes clearly apparent in an individual, a group, or in AA as a whole, it has long since been found out that we cannot stand still and look the other way. The essence of all growth is a willingness to change for the better and then an unremitting willingness to shoulder whatever the responsibility.” - Bill W. (Responsibility Is Our Theme, AA Grapevine, July 1965,The Language of the Heart p 334) ”

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

 See also AA Minority Report 2013