GSO Risks Becoming Irrelevant With Utter Nonsense About
Drugs
Moves to limit discussion not working
The Village Voice has
a feature titled "AA Unmasked: The
Premier 12-Step Program Has a Killer Drug Problem." Written by
MT, a member of both AA and NA and author of A Sponsorship Guide to
12-Steps the article details a growing conflict in the Fellowship
around the organization's 'primary purpose.'
Spelled out in Tradition 5, Each
group has but one primary purpose-to carry its message to the alcoholic
who still suffers, there is another move on to limit member's to
talking about their alcohol use only and to eliminate any discussion of
drugs.
Problems other than alcohol
According to MT, the General
Service Office (GSO) focused on the "issue of people sharing about
problems other than alcohol" at this year's Annual Meeting and took
action to emphasize that AA is for alcoholics only.
The article includes some history,
and snippets of stories from AA's who have been told by their respective
meetings they must not talk about their drug use. CI, well known Santa
Monica AA Member is quoted as suggesting "Since AA is based so much
on identification rather than information, it is imperative that
alcoholics talk about their experiences" and that alcoholic-addicts
should "glide over their drugs."
As MT makes clear, from a
practical standpoint this is utter nonsense. It's also an issue that will
be decided by the individual groups and meetings, and not from some ruling
by GSO or pronouncement by so-called elder statesmen.
After all, AA groups and meetings
are autonomous. I've been in meetings where conservatives tried to insist
I couldn't talk about my abuse of prescribed drugs. Each time, such
proposals were voted down.
I've attended AA meetings where
the reading at the beginning included a reference to not talking about
issues other than alcohol, and I've shared about my drug use. They never
kicked me out.
NA does it right
Narcotics Anonymous understands
the issue, insisting that anyone who claims drug addiction is also,
automatically, an alcoholic simply because alcohol is a drug. AA would do
well to recognize this and quit trying to push the river.
What should you do if one of your
meetings tries to limit your sharing?
Tell your truth!
If that includes drugs, as it does
for so many of us, go right ahead. If they give you heat, call for a group
conscience vote on the subject. You'll probably be pleasantly surprised,
and if the group tries to censor what's being said, find another meeting -
or start a new one. Just because GSO or a particular meeting shoots itself
in the foot doesn't mean you have to. AA is self-correcting when its
members are willing to stand up for what's real.
Love, peace and
abundance,
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