By Anon.
No A.A. group or member should ever, in such a way as to implicate A.A., express any opinion on outside controversial issues – particularly those of politics, alcohol reform, or sectarian religion. The Alcoholics Anonymous group opposes no one. Concerning such matters they can express no views whatsoever.
As George Santayana once said: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” and thankfully, as the “Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions” recites, our Founders took heed of this advice. They learned from the failed Washingtonian Society that peril lies in the path that permits politicians to use their society for their own purposes, regardless of the apparent righteousness of the cause or controversy. Thus, having already committed to having one primary purpose, a logical ‘next step’ would be to avoid controversy1 by steering clear of it, supporting no one, opposing no one, staying focused on the primary purpose, to help the alcoholic who still suffers.
But how does such a highfalutin principle come into play for the average drunk like me just trying to stay sober? I was surprised to see how that simple question and answer could play out in real terms. I happened to attend a regular meeting and in the course of small talk before the opening bell with a member whom I admire greatly, the topic turned to a news item of current prominence. With my legal background it was easy to have an opinion on point to satisfy the innocent inquiry, it was the follow-up that was not anticipated. My colleague took my point and applied it to an equally prominent news item, but took a tack quite different from my feelings on the subject. Here I was, right where I did not want to be, in an escalating discussion on the pros and cons of a question about which there were two distinctly different and discordant views. Fortunately the opening bell rang to commence the meeting and the distinctions and differences were lost in the Serenity Prayer.
In the sober time that followed that exchange, I saw too many times the opportunity to repeat the same type of conversation, with one or another colleague, and always, initially, with the best of intentions. While, like Santayana, I have tried to learn from that past experience, no saint am I and too often the bait was taken before I realized the hook hidden within was set. I could only imagine the reaction of any group in a public setting where, with the best intentions of espousing the good AA has to offer, in that promotion slipping into one or more of my human defects, losing not only the listeners at the time, but any hope they would be attracted by the carrier of that message to relay it to someone who might really need to hear it.
I have been one of the fortunate ones to get an opportunity to speak for the Public Information and the Cooperation with Professional Community (PI/CPC) service group and here particularly it is important for me to remember this is not a soapbox for my version of AA. I have had the benefit of working with a number of more experienced members and have been able to learn from them how to “Talk the talk” in a manner that carries the message effectively and, at the same time, does not have me sounding off on controversial “outside issues,” but keeping my mouth shut on such things there is no chance I can say the wrong thing while trying to say the right thing. This knack is not one which comes easily or normally to me, it might to others, but it does not to me. So the years of experience I have had learning how to restrain my tongue in meetings has carried over well to the service groups at which I have had an opportunity to share my experience, strength and hope.
True to the observation that “more will be revealed,” the importance of this tradition started to grow on me at meetings and that growth blossomed during service opportunities when the lesson learned could be put into practice in real time. What I had learned first-hand at meetings, thereafter, was a valuable insight into the wisdom of the principles behind Tradition 10. In simple terms which I had learned when a youngster: “Remain silent and be considered a fool, open your mouth and remove all doubt.”
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, page 178. ↩︎
