What about the Real Alcoholic?

As each individual member lives and dies by the steps, so the AA group lives and dies by the Traditions. AA's dirty little secret is that it is dying a slow and agonzizing death. Our numbers out of New York tell us that membership is declining precipitously. The statistics of those who achieve lasting sobriety are even more apalling.

Why is this? Could it possibly be that not all us are truly alcoholic? Why do some of us need to be 'special'? Why must some of our brethren qualify themselves by stating - "I am an alcoholic AND A...(tradition violation here)"...on some unrelated, absurd and quite frankly often embarassing unrelated outside issue?

When did simply being an alcoholic stop being good enough? Whatever happened to "...we are like the passengers of a great liner the moment after rescue from shipwreck when camaraderie, joyousness and democracy pervade the vessel from steerage to Captain's table. Unlike the feelings of the ship's passengers, however, our joy in escape from disaster does not subside as we go our individual ways. The feeling of having shared in a common peril is one element in the powerful cement which binds us. But that in itself would never have held us together as we are now joined..." - (BB, page 17)

Why is it that when people ramble on about drugs, incest, and God knows whatever else they're blaming their parents on at AA meetings, oldtimers stare blithely at their shoes in resignation?  Isn't identification the glue which joins us?  At what point does 'Live and Let Live' become apathy?

Why is it that AA is parodied on television and in fiction as a place where people whine about their problems?  Perhaps because it is what we've turned into - for the most part, unfortunately.


We're dying - and if we're not very careful - AA, the greatest and most glorious thing that ever happened to me, will soon be gone.


Claim your birthright.  Stop signing court cards - we do not endorse outside enterprises - period.  If you don't understand this, buy the Book.  Don't tolerate disruptive and dishonorable behavior.  Demand accountability, integrity, honor, and above-board behavior from your fellow AA members. 


God needs warriors - He has enough ribbon clerks. Stand up for what is right and demand that we uphold our traditons. We must all hold each other to higher standards if we are to live happy, joyous and free from alchohol, safe and protected, in a postion of neutrality.


If you MUST talk about drugs, perhaps you are simply in the wrong place.  Stop hiding out in AA - you are depriving your fellow drug addicts the joy of your 'recovery'.  AA is NOT for everybody - if you don't need the cure for alcoholism, maybe it's because you don't have alcoholism itself.

COG, 1st Cl.