Extract
from the aacultwatch forum (old)
“Another example of Concept IX in
action is that of Bill W’s response to protect AA public relations
by thwarting the plans of a potential figurehead with a “wonderful
vision” and his “message”. Today one only has to replace the
word “radio” with “website”:
“An old story, revealing several
aspects of A.A.’s public relations problem, comes to mind: One of
our pioneer members conceived the idea of starting a group in his
city by radio….. So our promoter friend constructed a series of
“Twelve Lectures on Alcoholics Anonymous” These were a strange
mixture of A.A. and his own religious ideas. He soon put them on air
with all the vigour of a Chautauqua orator. Contrary to our
expectations, he got a modest result. Inquiries came in and he
started a group. Now flushed with success, he was smitten with a
wonderful vision..............“We advised him that the trustees
felt his message inappropriate for national consumption. So he wrote
a hot letter to this effect: “To hell with the trustees, the world
is waiting for my message. I’ve got the right to free speech and
I’m going on air whether you like it or not.” This ultimatum was
an alarming poser. It looked like promotion, professionalism, and
anonymity-breaking all in one package.…………every ad man and
salesman in Alcoholics Anonymous would soon be selling A.A.’s
wares, willy-nilly. We would loose control of our public
relations.”………….” We assured our well-meaning friend that
we would certainly uphold his right to free speech. But we added that
he ought to uphold ours, too. We assured him that if his “lectures”
went on air, we would advise every A.A. group of the circumstances
and ask them to write strong letters to the sponsoring life assurance
company, letters of a kind the sponsor might not like to receive.”
The broadcast never went on air.” (AA comes of Age page 130-131)
The incidents with Chuck D. and the
AA pioneer show that in the past, cult groups in AA have been stopped
before they could even begin by active intervention of “trusted
servants” and “elder statesmen” upholding A.A. Traditions. They
recognised the link between figureheads and “degeneration into a
cult.” (Jack Alexander article about AA, page 23) In other words,
the rise of a “tyranny of very small minorities invested with
absolute power.” (Concept V). These “trusted servants and”
“elder statesmen” in the 1940s and 1958 were therefore evidently
“prudently ever on guard against tyrannies great and
small.”(Concept 12, warranty five). They also clearly understood
the Traditions to be principles upon which the survival of the
fellowship depends, rather than “just suggestions.” They
evidently understood it to be their responsibility and duty to be
active guardians of Traditions by informing “Traditions violators
that they are out of order” (Concept 12, warranty five). They
evidently understood their duty of care to protect a vulnerable
minority from coercion and abuse, “That care will be observed to
respect and protect all minorities,” (Concept 12, warranty 6). They
evidently understood their responsibility and authority as “trusted
servants” that they were trusted to actively guard the principles
of AA Traditions and assert their leadership in Tradition Two, to
perform the “duty of leadership, even when in a small minority, to
take a stand against a storm,” (Concept IX), - The upholding of
Tradition Two, of which Bill W. was later to go to great lengths to
explain in the Twelve Concepts for World Service in 1962:
“…All of this is fully implied in
A.A.’s Tradition Two. Here we see the “group conscience” as the
ultimate authority and the “trusted servant” as the
delegated authority. One cannot function without the other..”
(Concept X) “…Hence the principle of amply delegated authority
and responsibility to “trusted servants” must be implicit from
the top to the bottom of our active structure of service. This is the
clear implication of A.A.’s Tradition Two….” (Concept II)
“Trusted servants at all A.A. levels are expected to exercise
leadership, and leadership is not simply a matter of submissive
housekeeping..” (Concept VII) “Leadership is often called upon to
face heavy and sometimes long-continued criticism….” (Concept IX)
“…All around us in the world today we are witnessing the tyranny
of majorities and the even worse tyranny of very small minorities
invested with absolute power….” (Concept V) “…that care will
be observed to respect and protect all minorities..…That our
Conference shall ever be prudently on guard against tyrannies, great
and small, whether these be found in the majority or in the
minority..” (Concept XII: Warranty 6). “..Feeling the weight of
all these forces, certain members who run counter to A.A.’s
Traditions sometimes say that they are being censored or punished and
that they are therefore being governed. It would appear, however,
that A.A.’s right to object calmly and privately to specific
violations is at least equal to the rights of the violators to
violate. This cannot accurately be called a governmental action…”
(Concept XII, warranty 5).”
Cheers
The
Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
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