31.
Would Conference consider whether attempts to make AA visible could sometimes conflict with the primary purpose or lead us to act contrary to the Traditions?
The
primary purpose is to help people recover from alcoholism. Making
sure that the public are informed that AA has a solution is
important, but has the fixation on displaying the name of Alcoholics
Anonymous here, there and everywhere overshadowed that primary
purpose and led to a danger of counteracting the good, consistent,
effective, straightforward, un‐sensational
PI work carried out throughout the Fellowship?
Reason
for question
There
is a concern about proposals to put banners in prominent places in
the streets. Some feel this practice is promotional and that it
could, particularly in small towns or communities, give an impression
of AA which, rather than attract newcomers, could deter them from
making contact.
Alcoholics
Anonymous must be visible so that sufferers will find us but it is
also special and different and not to be classed with organisations
that tout for business or votes or whose chief concern is to get bums
on seats.
There
is also concern that PI initiatives carried out ‘on the back’ of
non AA initiatives or personalities or officials, may also give the
wrong impression of AA. When AA is contacted during press attention
on issues regarding the treatment
of alcoholism or on measures to combat alcohol abuse, an overriding
wish to get Alcoholics Anonymous visible can lead to press coverage
that implies that AA is part of the debate on the issue. Surely it is always
best for AA to initiate articles or notices in the press (and to do
so often) and not to let the desire to be noticed lead us into public
controversy.
In
the 1950s, the following was written, “While it is right and
necessary that the work in AA should be widely known it seems the
spread of this knowledge can best be accomplished by members and
their friends and of course AA literature. Every effort should be
made to keep that work free from the taint of sensationalism”.
Terms
of Reference No. 5 Discussed at Conference 2014
Comment:
Attraction rather than promotion! Take note self-PROMOTING 'circuit
speakers', local gurus, recovery 'experts' and the like. And do we
really need audio recordings of speakers at conventions? Nobody's
THAT good!
Cheers
The
Fellas (Friends
of Alcoholics Anonymous)
PS
For AA Minority Report 2013 cilck here
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