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From the books ... Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book) and Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (12 & 12)
Click the page number or the book cover icon
to view that page in the literature.1.
The board would be isolated, and would fall under heavy attack of criticism from both A.A. and the public.
2.
We simply couldn't afford to
take the chance of letting self-appointed members present themselves as messiahs representing
A.A. before the whole public.
3.
Moved by the spirit of anonymity, we try to give up our natural desires for personal distinction as
A.A. members both among fellow alcoholics and before the general public.
4.
While the internal difficulties of our adolescent period were being ironed out, public acceptance of A.A. grew by leaps and bounds.
5.
As this tide offering top public approval swept in, we realized that it could do us incalculable good or great harm.
6.
7.
Ten -- Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
8.
Tradition Ten -- "Alcoholics Anonymous has
no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy."
9.
10.
"Alcoholics Anonymous
has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy."
11.
As we surveyed the wreck of
that movement, early A.A. members resolved to keep our Society out of public controversy.
12.
Thus was laid the cornerstone for Tradition Ten: "Alcoholics Anonymous has
no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy."
13.
In this respect, we do not enter into public controversy, because we
know that our Society will perish if it does.
14.
... public controversy;
that it never perform acts ...
BB
Appendix VII, Twelve Concepts (Short Form), p.575
XII. The Conference shall observe the spirit of A.A. tradition, taking care that it never becomes the seat of perilous wealth or power; that sufficient operating funds and reserve be its prudent financial principle; that it place none of its members in a position of unqualified authority
over others; that it reach all important decisions by discussion,
vote, and, whenever possible, by substantial
unanimity; that its actions never be personally punitive nor an incitement to public controversy; that it never perform acts of government, and that,
like the Society it serves, it will always remain democratic in thought and
action.
15.
16.
People needed to be told what alcoholism was, so
we'd educate the public, even rewrite school and medical textbooks.
17.
But we do have to soberly face the fact that being in the public eye is hazardous, especially for us.
18.
His connection with A.A.
would be valuable, because the Fellowship stood high in public favor and hadn't an enemy in the world.
19.
Moreover, at the slightest intimation to
the general public from our
trustees that we needed money, we could become immensely rich.
20.
"The American Public Health Association presents a Lasker Group Award for 1951 to Alcoholics Anonymous in recognition of its unique and highly successful approach to
that age-old public health and social problem, alcoholism ... In emphasizing alcoholism
as an illness, the social
stigma associated with
this condition is being blotted out ... Historians may one day recognize Alcoholics Anonymous to
have been a great venture in
social pioneering which
forged a new instrument for social action; a new therapy based on the kinship of common suffering; one having a vast potential for the myriad other ills of mankind."
21.
"The American Public Health Association presents a Lasker Group Award for 1951 to Alcoholics Anonymous in recognition of its unique and highly successful approach to
that age-old public health and social problem, alcoholism ... In emphasizing alcoholism
as an illness, the social
stigma associated with
this condition is being blotted out ... Historians may one day recognize Alcoholics Anonymous to
have been a great venture in
social pioneering which
forged a new instrument for social action; a new therapy based on the kinship of common suffering; one having a vast potential for the myriad other ills of mankind."
22.
Arrangements were also
made with the chief psychiatrist of a large
public hospital to select still others from the stream of misery which flows through that institution.
23.
Nevertheless, the infant Society determined to set down its experience in a book which finally reached the public in April 1939.
24.
25.
26.
27.
But that wasn't the whole story, for in this case not only
was an A.A. member to break his anonymity at a
public level, he was to link the name Alcoholics Anonymous to
this particular educational project in
the minds of millions.
28.
29.
It is significant, now
that almost no A.A. in our Fellowship breaks anonymity at the
public level, that nearly all these fears have subsided.
30.
31.
Of course, there couldn't be the slightest objection if such an association hired an A.A. member solely because of his public relations ability and his
knowledge of alcoholism.
32.
33.
They are authorized by the groups to handle our over-all public relations and they guarantee the integrity
of our principal newspaper, the A.A. Grapevine.
34.
They are authorized by the groups to handle our overall public relations and they guarantee the integrity
of our principal newspaper, the A.A. Grapevine.
35.
36.
37.
Everywhere there arose threatening questions
of membership, money, personal relations, public relations, management of groups, clubs, and scores of other perplexities.
38.
39.
40.
Therefore, a great responsibility fell upon us to develop the best possible public relations policy for Alcoholics Anonymous.
41.
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.
42.
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."
43.
"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."
44.
The Foundation(*) wrote
letters to practically
every news outlet in North America, setting forth our public relations policy of attraction rather than promotion, and emphasizing personal anonymity as A.A.'s greatest protection.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
It would be a good thing, they
believed, for the liquor
trade to show a sense of public responsibility.
50.
51.
52.
Consequently, many groups began to hold meetings which were open to interested friends and the public, so that
the average citizen could
see for himself just what A.A. was all about.
53.
We think that each group should soon achieve this ideal; that any public solicitation of funds using the name of Alcoholics Anonymous is
highly dangerous, whether by groups, clubs, hospitals, or other outside agencies; that acceptance
of large gifts from any source, or of contributions carrying
any obligation whatever, is unwise.
54.
We think that each group should soon achieve this ideal; that any public solicitation of funds using the name of Alcoholics Anonymous is
highly dangerous, whether by groups, clubs, hospitals, or other outside agencies; that acceptance
of large gifts from any source, or of contributions carrying
any obligation whatever, is unwise.
55.
56.
Then Jack Alexander wrote a feature article in the Saturday Evening Post and placed such a compelling picture of A.A. before the general public that alcoholics in need of help really deluged us.
57.
Some day we hope that Alcoholics Anonymous will help the public to a better realization of the gravity of the alcoholic problem, but we shall be of little use if our attitude is one of bitterness or hostility.
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