The Myth of the Yellow Card

Here we discuss the yellow card which is frequently on display at AA meetings (if not actually read out either at the beginning or the end of the meeting). It goes as follows:

Who you see here
What you hear here
When you leave here
LET IT STAY HERE!

In practice this injunction is demonstrably both unenforceable and ineffective. Moreover in principle it is quite contrary to the whole purpose of Alcoholics Anonymous ie. to communicate recovery. We understand fully the good intent behind this guideline but would argue that it creates more problems than it solves and that it places members at greater jeopardy than would be the case if it was not on display at all. Additionally it is frequently cited as a means of camouflaging the activities of the cult within AA (although for these same reasons this tactic has proven to be less than effective).

Firstly it is completely unenforceable. It is a guideline and not a rule and there exists no authority (nor accompanying sanction) that can ensure compliance. Its effectiveness rests entirely on the voluntary assent of every member who attends the meeting (not to mention guests if it is an open AA meeting). It takes only one breach to render it useless. Its intent is to prevent gossip (usually malicious). Those who do not indulge in this habit will abstain from it whether the card is present or not. Those who do will carry on regardless! Even those who support the principle find themselves frequently in a position where they feel constrained to breach it. If we had a penny for every time we've heard the expression: “I know it's a yellow card matter but....” we would have amassed a considerable fortune by now. One of our members recalls an occasion when they were a newcomer having a conversation with another member who was helping them out at the time. The latter quite innocently asked our friend if 'so and so' was still secretary at a certain meeting. Being a newcomer, and therefore probably more scrupulous about observing the “rules” than the 'regulars', they hesitated to reply for taken literally the yellow card would restrict even this quite innocent communication. The fact that the respective members had probably known each other for years did not mitigate this fact. Moreover Tradition Four itself implies that there has to be some communication between groups (and the conduct of their meetings) which will of necessity require from time to time a “breach” of this confidentiality. In this connection it is worth pointing out here that there exists no circumstance of “privileged communication” in (or out of) meetings between members. To cite another example an interesting exchange took place between two attendees at another meeting. One was ex-CID and the other had - shall we say - a colourful past which included the occasional misconstruction on his part as to what constituted his property and what did not. The latter put the hypothetical situation to the former that if he were, for example, to share in a meeting that he had carried out a burglary how would the former (in his capacity as Old Bill) feel obliged to respond? The ex-officer replied that he would listen respectfully to the admission and then “nick” the guy at the end of the meeting! From this it can be seen that practically (as well as legally) the application of the yellow card principle is mostly a non-starter. We would argue that it would be better for the card to be abandoned (although this is not to say that gossip should be encouraged) but it is better to recognise the realities of life in the fellowship rather than promote an ideal which is rarely adhered to. The presence of the card gives an entirely false impression and leads people to discuss things in a public forum which would be better reviewed in more secure surroundings. Indeed it might be rather more useful to follow the guidelines indicated in the Big Book – to share only in “a general way”, and reserve any more sensitive material for the ears of a “close mouthed acquaintance” (but bearing in mind the legal position). Most members learn this lesson anyway - but usually the hard way! Finally it ensures also that some of the abuses that go on (most notably in cult meetings and groups) cannot be defended or concealed by resorting to the “yellow card defence”. (We shall be reviewing in some detail some extreme instances of these in a forthcoming article)

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)