AA MINORITY REPORT 2017 (revised)

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Monday 30 August 2010

aacultwatch


Every so often we get enquiries from AA members offering not only their support but also wanting to get more involved in our campaign - that is to rid Alcoholics Anonymous of its extremist, dogmatic and abusive elements, to keep our Fellowship healthily disorganised, and operating moreover in accordance with our Traditions (see About Us section for more details on this). In response to these requests you might wish to consider the following:

a) Within the context of AA meetings as such it is not really appropriate to raise these issues – that would be contrary to the stated purpose of these gatherings as indicated in our Preamble. However outside this context there is absolutely no reason why the website should not be discussed, and the issues that it raises debated by the AA membership. This may take place in group consciences, business meetings, Intergroup and Region meetings and indeed at AA Conference level (or are we just being grandiose here......), and of course at any time between individuals who wish to exercise their fundamental right to freedom of speech. These are all entirely legitimate forums for such discussion and any attempt to censor this should be opposed. Whereas the site itself is evidently not run by Alcoholics Anonymous the views expressed therein are those of AA members (except where an outside source is cited eg. articles, research etc), and therefore qualify (if not on that ground alone) for consideration by other members of the Fellowship.

b) Knowledge is power: One thing at least that we have discovered during the last three years the site has been running is that what the cult most fears is EXPOSURE. They dislike intensely having their activities brought into the full light of day, with their misrepresentations of the Fellowship and its programme examined (and then refuted), the unmasking of their systematic abuse of newcomers (this conducted under the guise of “sponsorship” of the worst kind - that is if it can be called sponsorship at all!), together with their discriminatory conduct towards those AA members who are dual diagnosis (this leading to further suffering for those concerned, and, in some instances, contributing to, if not actually causing, their untimely death), and lastly their manipulation of AA guidelines, Traditions and Concepts to serve their own ego driven ambitions rather than the welfare of AA members (it is worth bearing in mind here that the cult are particularly fond of running so-called “workshops” (advertised both within AA and outside the auspices of the Fellowship) to promote their own mangled “version” of these principles). Finally our efforts - together with those of other similarly concerned AA members - are starting to have some impact on the cult in Great Britain. A number of their meetings have either closed or been removed from the “Where to Find” (a decision undertaken by local intergroups), or in at least one instance denied access to an intergroup for being “too controversial”. A number of other groups (those more amenable to criticism) have recognised their breaches of the Traditions and guidelines and have (following upon group consciences) revised their conduct accordingly. All of the above has been sustained by the flow of information which has indeed proven to be a potent weapon in our campaign against the cult's activities.

We reiterate: knowledge is power! When AA members have full access to what is going on in other groups they are then in a position to remedy (where required) any abuses that might be taking place. We have no problem at all with the notion of AA members and AA groups 'policing' AA. Indeed we would argue that under Traditions One, Four and Five (and contrary to the position taken by cult groups in their frequent misrepresentation of these guidelines) other groups not only have a right to take action to correct the dangerous conduct of cult groups (those purporting to act under the umbrella of AA) but even - we would assert - a duty to intervene, that is if there exists a genuine concern to ensure both “our common welfare” and protect the newcomer against this most insidious and malign influence within the Fellowship. These flows of information need not specifically be directed towards aacultwatch itself (although we will always happily review any evidence sent our way) but rather between AA members, both individually and locally, either within the formal service structure or via (and just as importantly) informal networks. Such conduits should no longer be obstructed by 'hiding' behind the Yellow Card (the confidentiality statement, which by the way has no legal or applicable ground to support it) or relying on collusion and/or denial within the Fellowship to ensure their perverse activities go unchallenged. AA is an anonymous organisation - not a secret one. We are in fact not only “responsible” for our own Fellowship but also accountable to a wider public, and from which after all our membership finally derives. In line with this we would argue that AA should operate altogether more transparently, and moreover that AA members have both a moral and a social obligation to speak up and expose cult groups wherever and whenever such abuses occur. Freedom of speech and freedom of action do not simply happen – they are rights that have to be actively defended or they wither and die, and we are left then subordinate to the fascist condition perpetrated by the cult groups (the terms “Step Nazis” and “Taliban” more than adequately express a sometimes intuitively grasped recognition - that this is precisely where the cult groups will finally take AA if they are left unopposed)

c) Similarly such debate can take place in online forums (incidentaly we have been reliably informed by AA members that instructions have been issued by some cult groups to their members that these latter should not view the aacultwatch website (an indication in itself of their fear of exposure even amongst themselves!). Our own forum (http://forums.delphiforums.com/aacultwatch) exists to promote such discussion, and without wishing to blow our own trumpets (but we're going to anyway) we have already successfully challenged one anti-AA advocate (going by the bizarre tag “Agent [a citrus fruit]”; we have no intention of giving him or his website any more publicity here) and his adherents to produce verifiable evidence to support their claims. Of the eight or nine points raised they were only able to produce one piece of supporting documentation which might even approach meeting that simple criterion. The rest was mere propaganda or the recycling of misrepresentations about AA from other sources on the web. Their other claims were challenged effectively by AA members who, citing in every instance the relevant guidelines, were easily able to confute their arguments. In like fashion the advocates of the cult position have been challenged by AA members to establish the moral legitimacy of their approach, something which this extremist element has so far entirely failed to do. Other online forums of course provide a means by which these debates can be conducted, and this without necessarily mentioning aacultwatch explicitly (although to do so usually saves quite a lot of time in explanation).

d) Finally of course AA members may themselves directly confront and challenge cult supporters and adherents wherever these seek to promote their fallacious doctrine (and this even in an AA meeting where cult members may attempt to exploit the opportunity afforded therein), and expose their lies and misrepresentations, and this by the simple expedient of questioning their dubious interpretations of the principles and guidelines of AA (an approach which we ourselves will most certainly continue to apply). In order to do this AA members will themselves need not only to familiarise themselves with the relevant literature but ensure moreover that they have fully “imbibed”, as it were, the spirit of the Fellowship. The cult may be quite adept in manipulating such former sources to serve their own personality driven ends but they fail entirely to distinguish the essence of AA which underpins its every action, and wherein lies its sole purpose; that is liberation – liberation from the tyranny of alcoholism, and this by means of liberation from the bondage of self, whether this last manifests itself immediately, or derives indeed from some other source – that is another “human power”. “Self will run riot” is the fundamental flaw upon which the cult rests, and which finally will be its downfall – and the sooner the better!

Cheerio

The Fellas

Saturday 21 August 2010

Tradition Seven

Short form:

"Seven—Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions."

Long form:

"7.—The A.A. groups themselves ought to be fully supported by the voluntary contributions of their own members. We think that each group should soon achieve this ideal; that any public solicitation of funds using the name of Alcoholics Anonymous is highly dangerous, whether by groups, clubs, hospitals, or other outside agencies; that acceptance of large gifts from any source, or of contributions carrying any obligation whatever, is unwise. Then too, we view with much concern those A.A. treasuries which continue, beyond prudent reserves, to accumulate funds for no stated A.A. purpose. Experience has often warned us that nothing can so surely destroy our spiritual heritage as futile disputes over property, money, and authority."

(our emphases)

Again a pretty straightforward piece of advice. (Firstly it might be useful to know what an AA group is as distinguished from an AA meeting. For some useful (conference approved) insights into this we recommend the following booklet called unsurprisingly enough: The AA Group. Click here (http://www.aa.org/pdf/products/p-16_theaagroup.pdf) for pdf download)). Essentially a self-supporting fellowship ensures its own autonomy, and of course this is consistent with our principle of non-affiliation. Most importantly we are not a “business” nor should we be unduly distracted by such concerns beyond those necessary to ensure that AA remains viable. In practice this means that ONLY AA members are responsible for the financing of our society. Therefore AA meetings at which non-AAs are present (eg. guests) should ensure that these are made aware of this (courteously and discreetly) and should not put any money in the pot. Similarly groups should pay the going rate for whatever accommodation they use for their meetings; they should not allow themselves to be subsidised in any way. So for example those meetings run on hospital premises where there may be no charge should still pay an appropriate market rent to ensure that they abide by this principle. Interestingly this tradition does raise a question with regard to the sale of AA literature to the general public. Effectively any monies derived from this source and subsequently used to subsidise AA mean that we are in fact taking money from “outside agencies”. This problem would be avoided of course if literature was sold simply at cost price with no profits made, the funds derived being used simply to finance the costs associated with production and distribution. The debate about whether AA should be partly financing itself in this fashion has been going on for some time now. Perhaps it is time we achieved this “ideal” and started abiding fully by this principle. Such a step would also avoid the current controversy of literature being bought from sources outside AA (online distributors for example). We should only be financing ourselves from our own members' “voluntary contributions” - AA is not in the book selling “business” - that is not our “primary purpose”.

Finally a “voluntary contribution” means precisely that. Whatever money is given is given ONLY according to the will of the donor including the time, place and amount, all of these specified by them and by them alone. Any AA event which seeks to impose a charge upon the attendees is clearly in breach of this Tradition and in our view ceases any more to be associated with Alcoholics Anonymous. Moreover any attempt to “suggest” an amount as a way of avoiding this guideline is in our view contrary to this principle especially where such “suggestions” are accompanied by any form of coercion or manipulation (It is entirely reasonable though for the treasurer of a group to ensure that its members – and any visitor to the group (in accordance with Tradition 4)– are kept fully informed of the group's financial position). This may have implications for AA conventions etc but the principle is pretty clearly stated. Therefore if AA members wish to organise such events and where these may include the provision of food (beyond the customary tea/coffee and biscuits), entertainment etc - and where there are inevitably costs associated with these - then the two activities should be clearly separated. Access to the AA meeting should be open to all AA members who wish to attend (and without charge) the remainder subject to the usual economic constraints. One is an AA activity, the other is not. Again AA is not in the “business” of running dances, discos, buffets, raffles, bingo and other assorted purely social occasions – these are “outside” issues.

In connection with the above the current “rash” of workshops and cult conventions organised by sundry individuals where a charge is made for attendance are NOT by definition AA events. They should not be promoted at AA meetings and newcomers especially should be made aware that these are NOT AA sponsored events. Moreover the organisers of such events should NOT use the name Alcoholics Anonymous nor use the AA logo and should explicitly (and in large lettering) make it plain to all and in understandable language that they are nothing to do with AA. After that a fool and his money are easily parted......

Cheerio

The Fellas

Thursday 12 August 2010

A brief observation on: "Secret of AA: After 75 Years, We Don’t Know How It Works" (see entry for 27/06/10)

""The sad fact remains that the program's failures vastly outnumber its success stories..." Really? As the old cliché has it, there are figures, statistics and damned lies! "Those who do not recover are those who cannot or will not COMPLETELY give themselves to this simple program... " (Alcoholics Anonymous, chapter five, 1939) i.e. those unable or unwilling "to go to any lengths" to stay sober. As Glenn Chesnut points out in AA History Lovers (6 April 2010): "If you have severe diabetes, then the combination of insulin injections and watching your diet will do a lot of good, but if you quit the insulin shots and start pigging out on chocolate cake again, you will get very ill - not because modern medicine 'does not work', but because you stopped following the doctor's recommendations. It's time to stop blaming AA if people go to a few meetings, pay no attention to what is said, put out no effort, and then disappear and go back to drinking again. If you take three or four violin lessons, refused to practice the violin at home, and then quit going to your lessons, then not even the greatest violin teacher in the world can teach you how to play the violin successfully. Let's get serious here!" "AA's 12 Steps are a group of principles, spiritual in their nature, which, if practiced as a way of life, can expel the obsession to drink and enable the sufferer to become happily and usefully whole." (12 Steps and 12 Traditions, 1952, Foreword). For the AA program to "succeed" it has to be practised as a way of life."

(our usual thanks to this AA member for their contribution)

Thursday 5 August 2010

Tradition Six

Short form:

"Six—An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose."

Long form:

"6.—Problems of money, property, and authority may easily divert us from our primary spiritual aim. We think, therefore, that any considerable property of genuine use to A.A. should be separately incorporated and managed, thus dividing the material from the spiritual. An A.A. group, as such, should never go into business. Secondary aids to A.A., such as clubs or hospitals which require much property or administration, ought to be incorporated and so set apart that, if necessary, they can be freely discarded by the groups. Hence such facilities ought not to use the A.A. name. Their management should be the sole responsibility of those people who financially support them. For clubs, A.A. managers are usually preferred. But hospitals, as well as other places of recuperation, ought to be well outside A.A.—and medically supervised. While an A.A. group may cooperate with anyone, such cooperation ought never go so far as affiliation or endorsement, actual or implied. An A.A. group can bind itself to no one."

(our emphases)

The reasons for this tradition are pretty well self-evident – AA and money don't mix – therefore AA is not in the business of 'selling' treatment, religion, books, ideas, life styles, advice, or any other product or service you can think of. It's got one purpose and it sticks to that – and that's given away free, gratis, no strings attached, no back handers, no side deals, no quid pro quo, zilch, nada, nichts …. (time to take a breath).... no contracts to be signed, no documents to be exchanged, no references required, no warranties offered, no insurance to be taken out (unless you count helping another alkie from time to time). In other words, and just in case this isn't quite clear enough – YOU PAY NOTHING – either in money or kind. AA is not a business, does not engage in commerce, does NOT make profits and just about lurches along on the contributions from its members – and how much they put in the pot is their “business” and nobody else's. There are no “suggested” amounts to be “contributed”, no tithes, no subscriptions, no percentages to be calculated. If you're a really sharp operator you can be a member of AA for your entire life and not pay a dime!!! (Come on! – there must be someone out there who's done it??). So if someone tries to put the pinch on you, tells you you GOTTA pay for attending an AA meeting, or tries to extract a dollar or two off you for the pleasure of listening to their “experience, strength and hope” then wherever you are you can be sure it ain't an AA meeting. If they're trying to flog you something, be it a book or a CD on how to win at the game of life, or be terribly, terribly spiritual in just ten days then keep your hands on your wallet (or purse), turn round sharpish, and walk the other way......preferably in the direction of a genuine AA meeting

Cheerio

The Fellas