Tradition Ten Checklist
October 12, 2008 by Mark
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
As usual, always worthy of consideration, any day, any time, imho.
Tradition Ten: Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
- Do I ever give the impression that there really is an “AA opinion” on Antabuse? Tranquilizers? Doctors? Psychiatrists? Churches? Hospitals? Jails? Alcohol? The federal government? Legalizing marijuana? Vitamins? Al-Anon? Alateen?
- Can I honestly share my own personal experience concerning any of those without giving the impression I am stating the “AA opinion”?
- What in AA history gave rise to our Tenth Tradition?
- Have I had a similar experience in my own AA life?
- What would AA be without this Tradition? Where would I be?
- Do I breach this or any of its supporting Traditions in subtle, perhaps unconscious, ways?
- How can I manifest the spirit of this Tradition in my personal life outside AA? Inside AA?
[Also worthy of being returned to the top and brought into the now 
]
A fellow A.A. got really mad at me a few years ago when I would not let her stop a speaker meeting to announce that Terri Schiavo had died. Thank God for the traditions
Mark, if you have a chance, drop by SOBRIETY SOCIETY and leave a comment on the current topic.
http://sobrietysociety.blogspot.com/
dAAve, I tried but for a reason unknown, it wouldn’t accept or publish my comment. I’ll come back to it – perhaps here as a new post. It certainly is a worthwhile topic.
I think AA can have an opinion on other 12 step programs in so much as its for the purpose of the betterment of AA and not trying to affect a policy change in the other 12 step program. In the same way that we learn from the mistakes of the “Washingtonian Group” per our tradition 10 chapter in the 12 and 12, I think we are also free to develop opinions on the experience and interpretation of the steps and traditions of other 12 step fellowships to further our own understanding.