We quote:
“Fellas,
I read with great interest the conflict (Lack of Unity?) you are suffering in regards to the "international gathering" in GB. You are right on the money (yes pun intended) when you attempt to point all parties to the Traditions. After all the goal of each and every Tradition is to promote unity and thereby insure that AA will be around for future drunks. Not future egos. Another reason for the formation of the Traditions is that Bill W. knew when ever drunks get together there will be problems that center around egos.
Your Intergroup seems to be using the same technique as is practiced by similar power drivers here in the US. They are using the Traditions as a method of grabbing more power. When an open minded reading of any of the Traditions would reveal that they are power limiting devices. It is so common in the US to hear the justification that the Tradition says we are autonomous and then if that nonsense flies; they will become even more emboldened and say they can do what ever they feel is in the best interest of their group. As you have wisely pointed out the Tradition strongly limits that power by saying two strong suggestions that should limit every ego driven proposal.
The Twelve and Twelve is written in the format of "here is the mistakes we have made so you don't have to make them". It further calls upon us to scan the horizon for similar mistakes. Then hopefully we won't have to make the old or the new mistakes.
Now for some questions about service structure in GB versus the US. We have a Service Structure that starts with the groups who elect a GSR. The GSR attends Inter-area where they elect a delegate who goes to conference. We can send information up the food chain through our delegate and he can and does come back from conference with the goings on of the conference. The exchange of ideas is both ways. Each district has a chair (District Committee Member) who attends special meetings at the area meetings.
We also have intergroup in large metropolitan areas. These sprung up in the early days and were present when Bill W got the 12 Traditions accepted at the 1950 international convention. They had been around since the start and were doing good work along the lines phone answering, literature clearing houses and even reaching out to the media. It was the intention of Bill W. to keep these as a hands on service structure and then have the GSR/AREA MEETING/DELEGATE/CONFERENCE in place for the working out of issues in the groups and between the groups.
This all seems to get mucked up by a few things that seem to relate to your situation. One, the Intergroups don't want to give up power. They do not want to give it up to their own representatives of the groups. And they sure don't want to give it up to the GSR's and their pathway to worldwide experience. This conflict is so great that in some areas the Area assembly have formed liaison committees and invited representatives of the Intergroups to meet and find a way to cooperate. One geographic region took about 4 years to resolve the difficulties to any measure.
The Intergroups here seem to quote their bylaws more than the Traditions. They want to claim that they are part of the Service Structure when at best Bill W. intended them to be an appendage. Finally they seem to go speak on behalf of AA in manners that match neither their Bylaws, the Service Structure Guidelines or the Traditions.
The universal problem that effects all parties, Intergroup, GSR and AA member is that very few groups send a representative to either body. We all got too soft because AA WAS self correcting for so long. However, when outside influences start to impact AA and we do not have a strong Service Structure in place to deal with it the lack of self is the down fall of correcting. Some of these outside influences are mandating of attendees, non conference approved literature quoted in the meetings, "hardcore true to the roots groups" such as back to basics, primary purpose, etc. and a public media that as a result of the internet can not be contained by a letter from NY GSO.
In short, we are creating more enemies than ever before and they all impact our "attraction"........
(our edits)
Cheers
The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
PS Thanks to our correspondent
See also:
Plymouth (cult) Intergroup corruption
For AA Minority Report 2013 click here
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