As usual, always worthy of consideration, any day, any time, imho.

From Silkworth.net;

Tradition Eleven: Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films.

• Do I sometimes promote AA so fanatically that I make it seem unattractive?
• Am I always careful to keep the confidences reposed in me as an AA member?
• Am I careful about throwing AA names around – even within the Fellowship?
• Am I ashamed of being a recovered, or recovering, alcoholic?
• What would AA be like if we were not guided by the ideas in Tradition Eleven? Where would I be?
• Is my sobriety attractive enough that a sick drunk would want such a quality for himself?

Hmmmmm???

Thanks to my friend Alex;

What Does ‘Crosstalk’ Have to Do with Our Primary Purpose?

[Reprinted From Box 459 - published bi-monthly by General Services Office of Alcoholics Anonymous]

Just what is this thing called “crosstalk”? Why are concerned A.A.s writing to the General Service Office for clarification about it? And, bottom line, what does it have to do with our primary purpose: “to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety”?

The word has been with us at least since 1887. Webster’s 10th Edition defines crosstalk as “unwanted signals in a communication channel caused by transference of energy from another circuit”- as when, for instance, two members sitting side by side at an A.A. meeting carry on a private, yet not so quiet, conversation or when one member interrupts another rudely or inappropriately. But this is not the kind of crosstalk that members are asking about; specifically, it is traceable to a list of guidelines for behavior at AA meetings — erroneously attributed to “World Service” that appears in 1992 in a central office newsletter and has since been reprinted and circulated more widely.

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Bill W’s thoughts, which were later published in “The Language of the Heart: Bill W’s Grapevine Writings” about AA’s Third Legacy.

Feels important enough to continue to pass on with the hope that the passing on will continue…

“We, who are the older members of A.A., bequeath to you who are younger, these three Legacies - the Twelve Steps of recovery, the Twelve Traditions, and now the general services of Alcoholics Anonymous. Two of these Legacies have long been in your keeping. By the Twelve Steps we have recovered from alcoholism; by the Twelve Traditions we are achieving a fine unity.

Being someday perishable, Dr. Bob and I now wish to deliver to the members of AA their Third Legacy. Since 1938 we and our friends have been holding it in trust. This legacy is the general Headquarters services of Alcoholics Anonymous - the Alcoholic Foundation, the AA Book, the AA Grapevine, and the AA General Office. These are the principal services which have enabled our society to function and to grow.

Acting on behalf of all, Dr. Bob and I ask that you - the members of AA - now assume guidance of these services and guard them well. The future growth, indeed the very survival, of Alcoholics Anonymous may one day depend on how prudently these arms of service are administered in years to come.”

Reprinted from “The AA Group: Where It All Begins”

What A.A. Does Not Do

Tradition Ten: Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.

1. Recruit members or furnish initial motivation for alcoholics to recover.
2. Keep membership records or case histories.
3. Follow up or try to control its members.
4. Make medical or psychological diagnoses or prognoses.
5. Provide hospitalization, drugs, or medical or psychiatric treatment.
6. Provide housing, food, clothing, jobs, money or other such services.
7. Provide domestic or vocational counseling.
8. Engage in or sponsor research.
9. Affiliate with social agencies (though many members and service offices do cooperate with them).
10. Offer religious services.
11. Engage in any controversy about alcohol or other matters.
12. Accept money for its services or contributions from non-A.A. sources.
13. Provide letters of reference to parole boards, attorneys, court officials, schools, businesses, social agencies, or any other organization or institution.

It isn’t so hard to do…

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
Post Office Box 607
Hollywood Station
Hollywood, California

December Fifth 1941

Irma Livoni
939 S. Gramercy Place
Los Angeles, California

Dear Mrs. Livoni:

At a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles Group of Alcoholics Anonymous, held Dec. 4th, 1941, it was decided that your attendance at group meetings was no longer desired until certain explanations and plans for the future were made to the satisfaction of this committee. This action has been taken for reasons which should be most apparent to yourself. It was decided that, should you so desire, you may appear before members of this committee and state your attitude. This opportunity will be afforded you between now and December 15th, 1941. You may communicate with us at the above address by that date.

In case you do not wish to appear, we shall consider the matter closed and that your membership is terminated.

Alcoholics Anonymous, Los Angeles Group
Mortimer, Frank, Edmund, Fay D., Pete, Al

There’s soooo much wrong with this I don’t know where to start… thank God this type of insanity didn’t last long in AA!

This is the title of a writing by Bill W. published in the Grapevine in December, 1950. I’d like to post the first three paragraphs of Bill’s words here and refer you to The Language of the Heart: Bill W’s Grapevine Writings for the balance (pg. 126).

“We, who are the older members of AA, bequeath to you who are younger, these three Legacies - the Twelve Steps of recovery, the Twelve Traditions, and now the general services of Alcoholics Anonymous. Two of these Legacies have long been in your keeping. By the Twelve Steps we have recovered from alcoholism; by the Twelve Traditions we are achieving a fine unity.

Being someday perishable, Dr. Bob and I now wish to deliver to the members of AA their Third Legacy. Since 1938 we and our friends have been holding it in trust. This legacy is the general Headquarters services of Alcoholics Anonymous - the Alcoholic Foundation, the AA Book, the AA Grapevine, and the AA General Office. These are the principal services which have enabled our Society to function and to grow.

Acting on behalf of all, Dr. Bob and I ask that you - the members of AA - now assume guidance of these services and guard them well. The future growth, indeed the very survival, of Alcoholics Anonymous may one day depend on how prudently these arms of service are administered in years to come.”

“When, in 1955, the A.A. groups confirmed the permanent charter for their General Service Conference, they thereby delegated to the Conference complete authority for the active maintenance of our world services and thereby made the Conference - excepting for any change in the Twelve Traditions or in Article 12 of the Conference Charter - the actual voice and the effective conscience for our whole Society.”

The first paragraph of the A.A. Service Manual says about the Second Concept;

“It is self-evident that the thousands of A.A. groups and the many thousands of A.A. members , scattered as they are all over the globe, cannot of themselves actually manage and conduct our manifold world services.”

Now, even I could have seen that coming

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