Listen to Audio Recording

[00:00:00.080 – 00:00:00.640] Thank you, George.

[00:00:00.640 – 00:00:01.240] Hi, everybody.

[00:00:01.240 – 00:00:02.980] My name is David A, and I’m an alcoholic.

[00:00:02.980 – 00:00:04.010] Hi, David.

[00:00:04.010 – 00:00:14.080] And only because of God’s grace through the miracle of Alcoholics Anonymous, I have not found it necessary to nor have I taken a drink of an alcoholic nature since April the twentieth, nineteen sixty-seven, and for this I am

[00:00:14.080 – 00:00:14.800] so thankful.

[00:00:14.800 – 00:00:24.840] And I want to thank the, the committee for allowing this alcoholic to share this alcoholic’s experiences in living the Twelve Traditions and AA’s

[00:00:24.840 – 00:00:25.980] experience.

[00:00:25.980 – 00:00:36.129] You know, in Alcoholics Anonymous, we’re asked to share our experiences and not our opinions because we find as a result of our experiences in Alcoholics Anonymous that opinions in many, many instances

[00:00:36.129 – 00:00:41.780] have a tendency to make sick people sicker and in some instances to kill people physically.

[00:00:41.780 – 00:00:51.980] And we’ve been given a tremendous gift, a gift that none of us deserved and none of us merited, a gift that has been given to us as a result of God’s grace

[00:00:51.980 – 00:00:53.740] through people in Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:00:53.740 – 00:01:00.640] And as a result of it, in the Twelve Steps is how it works, and the Twelve Traditions are why they work.

[00:01:00.640 – 00:01:10.780] Because many, many years ago in the middle forties when although we had the Twelve Steps of recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous and whole groups were getting drunk

[00:01:10.780 – 00:01:20.880] and groups were disintegrating and becoming all things for all people, and everything that they argue about in groups right this second today all over the world, they were arguing

[00:01:20.880 – 00:01:24.620] about them in the middle forties, and that’s the reason the traditions were written.

[00:01:24.620 – 00:01:31.240] As a result of our experiences, and you have to remember about our traditions, you know, they weren’t written because of our good behavior.

[00:01:31.240 – 00:01:33.240] They were written because of our bad behavior.

[00:01:33.240 – 00:01:36.780] And you know, we’re not brothers and sisters of virtue.

[00:01:36.780 – 00:01:44.820] We’re, we’re brothers and sisters of defects of character and the willingness to have them removed under the power and love and guidance of a Power greater than ourselves.

[00:01:44.820 – 00:01:50.860] Now, George read something a while ago, and it’s read, uh, universally all over the world in Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:01:50.860 – 00:02:00.920] There are some groups that, uh, for what reason they, they do, they do, they don’t read them, that Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each

[00:02:00.920 – 00:02:08.440] other that they may solve their common problem and help others recover from alcoholism, which is nothing more than a combination of Tradition One and Tradition Five.

[00:02:08.440 – 00:02:13.160] The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking, Tradition Three.

[00:02:13.160 – 00:02:15.489] There are no dues or fees for AA membership.

[00:02:15.489 – 00:02:18.720] We’re self-supporting through our own contributions, Tradition Seven.

[00:02:18.720 – 00:02:24.560] AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization, or institution, Tradition Six.

[00:02:24.560 – 00:02:30.620] Does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any causes, Tradition Ten.

[00:02:30.620 – 00:02:37.360] Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety, Tradition Five.

[00:02:37.360 – 00:02:45.460] That is the only purpose that we’re here as individual and collectively as members of Alcoholics Anonymous, and it is the only purpose of an AA group.

[00:02:45.460 – 00:02:48.060] It is the only purpose of any AA entity.

[00:02:48.060 – 00:02:53.930] It is the entire purpose of Alcoholics Anonymous, is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

[00:02:53.930 – 00:03:03.980] Because unless we’re willing to give it away in the manner in which it’s been so freely given to us, then we will wither on the vine, and this is what was happening to Alcoholics Anonymous

[00:03:03.980 – 00:03:05.040] many, many years ago.

[00:03:05.040 – 00:03:14.520] Now, every alcoholic who comes to AA today receives three gifts or three legacies, the legacy of the gift of recovery, the gift of unity, and the gift of service.

[00:03:14.520 – 00:03:17.140] And this did not used to be this way.

[00:03:17.140 – 00:03:19.750] And prior to nineteen fifty, it wasn’t.

[00:03:19.750 – 00:03:25.100] And then the second legacy, our unity, is our Twelve Traditions.

[00:03:25.100 – 00:03:32.760] And we have to remember that very implicitly and throughout AA’s Twelve Traditions is the admission that our fellowship has its defects.

[00:03:32.760 – 00:03:34.760] And it’s very, very simple.

[00:03:34.760 – 00:03:40.320] The reason that our fellowship has its defects is because we’re composed of a hundred percent defects.

[00:03:40.320 – 00:03:43.260] There ain’t no well folks in Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:03:43.260 – 00:03:50.380] And we admit that we not only have character defects as a society and that these defects threaten us continuously.

[00:03:50.380 – 00:04:00.400] And so the traditions are simply a guide to better ways of working and living, and they are also the various solutions

[00:04:00.400 – 00:04:02.200] to our group sicknesses.

[00:04:02.200 – 00:04:05.600] And don’t think for one second that groups don’t get sick.

[00:04:05.600 – 00:04:07.040] Whole groups get sick.

[00:04:07.040 – 00:04:10.520] In the first group in California, they didn’t have any women in it.

[00:04:10.520 – 00:04:12.800] They only had about thirteen, fourteen men.

[00:04:12.800 – 00:04:15.760] And one night they got a call from a gal that was drunk.

[00:04:15.760 – 00:04:16.920] She’s out at a tourist court.

[00:04:16.920 – 00:04:21.000] That’s what they called them, inns and hotels and residences, tourist court.

[00:04:21.000 – 00:04:23.300] And she was just drunker than a bedbug.

[00:04:23.300 – 00:04:31.920] And they didn’t have any women to make a twelve-step call on her, so one of the young, gay, gallant blades in that group decided to go twelve-step her.

[00:04:31.920 – 00:04:34.660] Well, two days later, he hadn’t come back.

[00:04:34.660 – 00:04:38.920] So they sent a spy out there to see what’s going on.

[00:04:38.920 – 00:04:41.480] He got out there, and both he and the gal were drunk.

[00:04:41.480 – 00:04:44.840] Well, three days later, the spy hadn’t come back.

[00:04:44.840 – 00:04:52.220] So they sent another one out there to check on the three of them, a-a-and he found three of them drunk, and, and he didn’t come back.

[00:04:52.220 – 00:04:55.280] And this went on and on and on, and finally there’s one left.

[00:04:55.280 – 00:04:56.719] He was lonesome.

[00:04:56.719 – 00:05:00.200] So he thought he’d go out and twelve-step the whole bunch.

[00:05:00.200 – 00:05:01.700] He went out there, and he joined them.

[00:05:01.700 – 00:05:02.480] He got drunk.

[00:05:02.480 – 00:05:04.700] And the whole group got sober.

[00:05:04.700 – 00:05:10.000] And groups do this a lot of times because they get diverted away from their primary purpose.

[00:05:10.000 – 00:05:15.540] But the Twelve Traditions also point straight at our many, at many of our individual defects.

[00:05:15.540 – 00:05:21.760] For by appl– uh, practical application, they ask us to n- uh, uh, personal sacrifice.

[00:05:21.760 – 00:05:28.100] They ask us to never use the AA name in quest for personal power or distinction or money.

[00:05:28.100 – 00:05:33.200] Run that around your head a little bit.

[00:05:33.200 – 00:05:41.680] They ask us never to use the AA name for personal power, distinction, or money.

[00:05:41.680 – 00:05:49.080] The traditions guarantee the equality of all members and the independence of all groups.

[00:05:49.080 – 00:05:52.420] There are no second-class members in Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:05:52.420 – 00:05:57.240] We are all inclusive and not exclusive.

[00:05:57.240 – 00:06:04.620] There ain’t but three kinds of alcoholics to begin with, and that’s a drinking alcoholic and a sober alcoholic and a dead alcoholic.

[00:06:04.620 – 00:06:08.036] There are no other kind of alcoholics but three.

[00:06:08.036 – 00:06:11.376] And it also allows the independence of every group.

[00:06:11.376 – 00:06:13.026] It allows an A.A.

[00:06:13.026 – 00:06:14.716] group to have its own personality.

[00:06:14.716 – 00:06:17.476] It allows every group to be an A.A.

[00:06:17.476 – 00:06:18.456] group and not a B.B.

[00:06:18.456 – 00:06:18.976] group.

[00:06:18.976 – 00:06:20.256] You know what a B.B.

[00:06:20.256 – 00:06:20.956] group is?

[00:06:20.956 – 00:06:21.916] It ain’t A.A.

[00:06:21.916 – 00:06:31.936] It allows it to be itself with its own personality and to be able to grow and to live and to function, just like the recovery

[00:06:31.936 – 00:06:36.036] program allows us after we get sober to be ourselves as we are.

[00:06:36.036 – 00:06:44.706] And so the, the traditions also show us how we may better relate ourselves not only to each other, but to other A.A.

[00:06:44.706 – 00:06:46.436] groups in the world in which we live.

[00:06:46.436 – 00:06:51.436] And they also func– uh, indicate how we can best function as a whole.

[00:06:51.436 – 00:07:01.616] So for the sake of the welfare of our entire society, the traditions are simply as that every member, every group, every district, every area, every region,

[00:07:01.616 – 00:07:03.876] every country in A.A.

[00:07:03.876 – 00:07:14.176] shall lay aside all desires, ambitions, and unwanted actions that could bring serious division among us or lose for us the confidence of the world at large.

[00:07:14.176 – 00:07:22.196] Many, many members of Alcoholics Anonymous, thousands of members of Alcoholics Anonymous do not realize the credentials that Alcoholics Anonymous has come with.

[00:07:22.196 – 00:07:32.276] Hundreds and hundreds of thousands of our members do not realize the respect that what Alcoholics Anonymous stands for and the principles of the Alcoholics

[00:07:32.276 – 00:07:35.236] Anonymous stands in the eyes of the world in which we live.

[00:07:35.236 – 00:07:39.816] Many members of Alcoholics Anonymous do not realize that A.A.

[00:07:39.816 – 00:07:41.576] came with the highest of credentials.

[00:07:41.576 – 00:07:49.696] In the old Alcoholic Foundation, which is, became later renamed the General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous, A.A.

[00:07:49.696 – 00:07:59.916] had the most prestigious office address of any fellowship or any business, if you want to call that, which it is not, of any fellowship that the world has ever seen.

[00:07:59.916 – 00:08:05.036] And that was thirty Rockefeller Plaza, room fifty-six hundred, New York City, New York.

[00:08:05.036 – 00:08:08.176] And that was, folks, that’s the personal offices of John D.

[00:08:08.176 – 00:08:09.336] Rockefeller Jr.

[00:08:09.336 – 00:08:11.556] And you can’t get no better than that.

[00:08:11.556 – 00:08:14.236] You can’t.

[00:08:14.236 – 00:08:21.896] And one of the reasons that hundreds of thousands of our members, uh, do not realize this or do not know it is the fact that it’s natural.

[00:08:21.896 – 00:08:23.136] You know, we come to A.A.

[00:08:23.136 – 00:08:26.236] and, and God, we get flushed with this spiritual enema.

[00:08:26.236 – 00:08:32.096] And, you know, and, and we, and you got that hugging and that kissing and all that.

[00:08:32.096 – 00:08:35.016] That started more groups in Alcoholics Anonymous than anything else.

[00:08:35.016 – 00:08:45.176] And as a result of it, and you know, and you go out and you have coffee and you drink ice cream and you say, “Well, this is it, you know, right here in the group,” and never look, uh, kind of like a hog

[00:08:45.176 – 00:08:48.656] eating acorns, you know, never look up, see where the acorns are coming from.

[00:08:48.656 – 00:08:55.836] And until the group gets into trouble, until they wake up and find out that someone’s run off with the money.

[00:08:55.836 – 00:09:01.696] And then, and then the light comes on, they elect another one, and he runs off with money, or she does.

[00:09:01.696 – 00:09:11.736] And then finally, after about five treasurers running off with money, they finally, somebody said, “Why don’t we put two signatures on the check?” And then both of them get drunk and run off with

[00:09:11.736 – 00:09:12.176] the money.

[00:09:12.176 – 00:09:19.356] And then somebody says, “Well, why don’t we go put it in the bank?” Never thought of that, you know.

[00:09:19.356 – 00:09:23.955] And that’s what’s called commingling of funds when you leave it around a little bit.

[00:09:23.955 – 00:09:26.396] And so, a-and they don’t realize it.

[00:09:26.396 – 00:09:32.216] You know, uh, you talk about the, what, uh, the principles, how they’ve generated the confidence in the world.

[00:09:32.216 – 00:09:42.376] Many, many years ago, when the United Nations moved from San Francisco to its present headquarters in New York City, one of the early addressees at the United Nations on a very important

[00:09:42.376 – 00:09:45.836] policy talk was the former president of the United States, Herbert Hoover.

[00:09:45.836 – 00:09:53.416] And he was making this important policy talk, and right in the middle of it, he stopped, and he made a hundred and eighty degree turn.

[00:09:53.416 – 00:10:04.016] And he told those folks in the United Nations that if all of the representatives of all the nations in all of the world and the ambassadors to the Na-United Nations, if

[00:10:04.016 – 00:10:13.455] the world would live by the most perfect set of principles that he’s ever read about or seen, then this would be the greatest world to live in that God would ever see.

[00:10:13.455 – 00:10:16.976] And he says those principles are the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:10:16.976 – 00:10:23.816] Now, there’s no known documentation that Herbert Hoover or any of his family were members of A.A.

[00:10:23.816 – 00:10:29.356] or in, or Al-Anon or any other of our cooperating fellowships.

[00:10:29.356 – 00:10:38.036] And as a result, and for many years, the mystery remained, and many doubted that statement.

[00:10:38.036 – 00:10:48.056] But it is documented, and, and I’ve been very, very fortunate for, uh, quite a few years to write a lot about A.A.’s history and

[00:10:48.056 – 00:10:51.846] A.A.’s service structure and A.A.’s boards.

[00:10:51.846 – 00:11:02.056] And so, uh, I managed to get ahold of the list of the Rockefeller Invitational Dinner that was at the Union Club in New York City in nineteen forty

[00:11:02.056 – 00:11:02.516] when John D.

[00:11:02.516 – 00:11:02.836] Jr.

[00:11:02.836 – 00:11:13.036] invited four hundred and fifty of the world’s outstanding individuals from finance, and that’s banking and real estate and religion and science and education, and

[00:11:13.036 – 00:11:14.436] they were top drawer people.

[00:11:14.436 – 00:11:20.996] And then the drunks were gonna hit up those rich folks and hit them up for a bunch of money, you know.

[00:11:20.996 – 00:11:30.436] And because in those days, just like a bunch of alcoholics today, they figured, you know, if I had a million or two million dollars tax-free, I wouldn’t drink anymore, you know.

[00:11:30.436 – 00:11:34.956] If I had plenty of money, everything gonna be all right, so they gonna hit them up for this money.

[00:11:34.956 – 00:11:37.216] And so they would write notes after the end of them.

[00:11:37.216 – 00:11:42.616] This one is tight, and this one’s a prohibition, and this one’s half crazy, and this one’s too religious.

[00:11:42.616 – 00:11:47.176] And right after one of them was perhaps Herbert Hoover’s best personal friend.

[00:11:47.176 – 00:11:58.256] And I looked up at the address of where at that time in nineteen forty, where Herbert Hoover’s best personal friend was living, and sure enough, it was at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

[00:11:58.256 – 00:12:04.136] Well, I knew, also knew that Herbert Hoover lived in the towers of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel for many, many years.

[00:12:04.136 – 00:12:06.236] And you know, in A.A.

[00:12:06.236 – 00:12:07.516] we’ve got a lot of spies.

[00:12:07.516 – 00:12:08.444] You know?

[00:12:08.444 – 00:12:18.444] And so I asked one of my spies to look up and see what floor in the tower that Herbert Hoover lived on or the suite he lived on, and he come back and he told me, and then we matched it

[00:12:18.444 – 00:12:19.864] up with his friend, and guess what?

[00:12:19.864 – 00:12:22.904] They were on the same floor in an, an adjoining suite.

[00:12:22.904 – 00:12:26.264] And that’s where he had heard about Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:12:26.264 – 00:12:29.254] His friend was a great early booster of AA.

[00:12:29.254 – 00:12:33.934] And so, meanwhile, he’d been down to United Nations, you know, addressing them, telling them about…

[00:12:33.934 – 00:12:36.964] that this world would be perfect if they lived by the principles of AA.

[00:12:36.964 – 00:12:40.364] And there’s always a bunch of drunks sitting around doing nothing, you know.

[00:12:40.364 – 00:12:50.484] Buying cars and buying railroads and buying airlines, and then when they get ready to leave, they say, “Will you loan me 50 cents to get a pack of cigarettes?” And they got to heard that, and they punched

[00:12:50.484 – 00:13:00.744] each other and said, “Say, are you hearing what I’m hearing?” Because back in those days, television was in its infancy, and the most popular news media naturally was the newspaper and the radio.

[00:13:00.744 – 00:13:10.754] And they said, “Oh, Herbert Hoover’s down there telling that world, by God, they need to live by the principles of AA, and us members of AA, we’re the only ones that know anything about Alcoholics

[00:13:10.754 – 00:13:11.584] Anonymous.

[00:13:11.584 – 00:13:16.144] Let’s go up and tell Bill.” Well, back in those days when Bill was alive, everybody’d go tell Bill.

[00:13:16.144 – 00:13:17.804] If they had a problem, they’d call Bill.

[00:13:17.804 – 00:13:19.824] If they had something good, they’d go tell Bill.

[00:13:19.824 – 00:13:22.184] So they borrowed somebody else’s car.

[00:13:22.184 – 00:13:24.784] They borrowed some money from somebody to get…

[00:13:24.784 – 00:13:26.744] put gasoline in somebody else’s car.

[00:13:26.744 – 00:13:31.344] They borrowed some money for some cigarette and coffees, and off they went up to Bedford Hills.

[00:13:31.344 – 00:13:33.324] And they ran up there, and they drove…

[00:13:33.324 – 00:13:36.104] Bill was in his little house doing his writing back there.

[00:13:36.104 – 00:13:37.864] Meanwhile, the story had changed.

[00:13:37.864 – 00:13:42.284] Because you have to remember about our kind of folks, us alcoholics, we do not lie.

[00:13:42.284 – 00:13:45.984] We embellish a lot, but we do not lie.

[00:13:45.984 – 00:13:51.204] And they ran in there, and them drunks’ eyes were as wide as the bottom of Coca-Cola bottles.

[00:13:51.204 – 00:13:59.704] And Bill looked at them, and b- they said, “What’s up, boy?” And Bill was a real drunk, and I’ve had quite a, I’ve had quite a few visits with Bill before he passed away.

[00:13:59.704 – 00:14:01.644] At my first one, I was five and a half months sober.

[00:14:01.644 – 00:14:05.544] I was drug up there by my, one of my sponsor’s friends.

[00:14:05.544 – 00:14:10.104] And, uh, and, and, and have heard him talk before he passed away in person.

[00:14:10.104 – 00:14:11.404] And Bill was a real drunk.

[00:14:11.404 – 00:14:12.684] He had a long turkey neck.

[00:14:12.684 – 00:14:17.464] Bill was a real drunk, and Bill had a real alcoholic cigarette cough.

[00:14:17.464 – 00:14:28.324] He used to smoke Picayune cigarettes, and when he’d cough, it started his toenails and come all the way up, and you’d have an aftershock for about five minutes, you know,

[00:14:28.324 – 00:14:29.513] while it wound down.

[00:14:29.513 – 00:14:39.573] And Bill seeing this and, and they said, “Hey, Bill, old Herbert.” He said, “Old Herbert who?” He says, “Old Herbert Hoover, you know, AA’s best friend.” Bill says, “Is that

[00:14:39.573 – 00:14:49.584] right?” He said, “Yeah, he’s down there at the United Nations, and he’s telling them they better live by the twel- by the principles of AA, or the world is gonna go you know where.” And, and they said,

[00:14:49.584 – 00:14:51.924] “Bill, Bill, we’re the only ones that know anything about AA.

[00:14:51.924 – 00:15:01.944] Why, we’ll be wearing striped britches and forked tail coats, and we’ll be riding around them big limousines with diplomatic flags up on the front of them, and we can park in front

[00:15:01.944 – 00:15:08.104] of fire plugs and run red lights and speed and have diplomatic immunity,” and even Bill got excited, you know?

[00:15:08.104 – 00:15:12.194] Can’t you see a bunch of drunks running the United Nations, you know?

[00:15:12.194 – 00:15:18.144] You turn on the television in the morning, and this face comes on with a shadow, you know.

[00:15:18.144 – 00:15:18.684] You can’t see.

[00:15:18.684 – 00:15:19.944] “Good morning, world.

[00:15:19.944 – 00:15:29.624] My name is David A., and I’m an alcoholic, and we’re down here at the United Nations, and we’re gonna open up this meeting this morning with a moment of silence followed by the Serenity Prayer.

[00:15:29.624 – 00:15:37.604] And for you civilians in this great wide world that don’t know the Serenity Prayer, the words will come along the bottom of the screen, and you can follow with it.

[00:15:37.604 – 00:15:43.504] And after the Serenity Prayer, they’re gonna read a portion of chapter five, How It Works.

[00:15:43.504 – 00:15:53.624] Now, the Ru- the ambassador from Russia is having a tough time understanding How It Works, so we’re gonna ask him one more time to read How It Works.

[00:15:53.624 – 00:16:00.124] And then when he gets through, we’re gonna go into the agenda today, and the agenda will be honesty, open-mindedness, and willingness.

[00:16:00.124 – 00:16:10.464] Now, we’re gonna ask you to come back to your television sets at four o’clock this afternoon for a very important announcement, because we understand from a very reliable

[00:16:10.464 – 00:16:23.204] source that the ambassador from Iraq is gonna take his fifth step with the ambassador from Iran, you know.” And

[00:16:23.204 – 00:16:26.144] even Bill, Bill was all enthused, and then Bill said, “Wait a minute.

[00:16:26.144 – 00:16:26.793] Wait a minute.

[00:16:26.793 – 00:16:31.904] Wait a minute, boys.” They estimated in those days they had, what, nine and a half, 10, 10 and a half million drunks in the world.

[00:16:31.904 – 00:16:33.904] And Bill says, “Wait a minute, boys.

[00:16:33.904 – 00:16:34.604] Wait a minute.

[00:16:34.604 – 00:16:36.584] We’re not all things for all people.

[00:16:36.584 – 00:16:46.624] We’ve got all we can do to take care of our own kind.” And so the 12 traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous stand as a

[00:16:46.624 – 00:16:50.254] sacrificial character of our life together, and, and-

[00:16:50.368 – 00:16:54.988] Is the greatest force of unity that we know of in Alcoholics Anonymous in Tradition One.

[00:16:54.988 – 00:16:56.528] Our common welfare should come first.

[00:16:56.528 – 00:16:59.187] Personal recovery depends upon AA unity.

[00:16:59.187 – 00:17:09.568] Perhaps there is no society, no fellowship in this world, no recovery program in this world that sets a higher value on the personal

[00:17:09.568 – 00:17:16.608] welfare of the individual member than does Alcoholics Anonymous, because we’re talking about living and dying.

[00:17:16.608 – 00:17:24.008] We’re talking about human beings, and we have no right in Alcoholics Anonymous to play with anybody’s head.

[00:17:24.008 – 00:17:29.567] We don’t have that license to play with anybody’s head.

[00:17:29.567 – 00:17:39.808] And but long ago, we found in AA that the common welfare had to come first, for without the common welfare, there could be very little personal welfare.

[00:17:39.808 – 00:17:45.968] Because I’ll tell you what, the individual sobriety depends on the group, and the group depends upon us.

[00:17:45.968 – 00:17:47.088] That’s live and let live.

[00:17:47.088 – 00:17:55.788] And unless we curb our individual desires and ambitions, we can damage the welfare of the group, the common welfare of the group.

[00:17:55.788 – 00:18:03.448] Now, in AA today, we don’t see this as much as we used to, and I’m not going to tell you, I’m not going to harangue on that.

[00:18:03.448 – 00:18:12.648] But we, I, I miss the days in AA, and actually, in the group I belong to, we still do it, and that’s bring wet, sloppy drunks to the AA meeting.

[00:18:12.648 – 00:18:19.668] And I was in a group not long ago and to where the older members were fussing with each other.

[00:18:19.668 – 00:18:27.448] They’d sit on one, on opposite sides of the room and glare at each other and personality and fighting and fussing, and it wasn’t a question.

[00:18:27.448 – 00:18:33.748] And they were arguing about who’s running and who ain’t running and what’s this, and it got to be pretty ugly there for about six or seven months.

[00:18:33.748 – 00:18:40.028] And I happened to be there that night, just happened to pass by and said, “Well, I’m going to go to the meeting over there,” and I walked in.

[00:18:40.028 – 00:18:48.827] And lo and behold, I hadn’t been there ten minutes, and they brought in one of them wet, sloppy drunks, the kind that just slides along the floor, dragging him by the heels.

[00:18:48.827 – 00:18:57.168] And I looked over there, and in fifteen minutes, them old-timers that had been fussing with each other and all their babies…

[00:18:57.168 – 00:18:59.888] You know, babies a lot of time are copycats, you know?

[00:18:59.888 – 00:19:05.628] If my sponsor don’t like you, I don’t like you, and if my sponsor likes you, I like you.

[00:19:05.628 – 00:19:06.848] You know?

[00:19:06.848 – 00:19:14.468] And so as a result, I looked over there, and them old-timers over there that’d been fighting and fussing for six or seven months, hugging that drunk and everything else.

[00:19:14.468 – 00:19:23.308] I’ll tell you right now in Alcoholics Anonymous, you bring a wet drunk to your group, and it’ll eliminate more, more personalities problems than you’ve ever seen in your life.

[00:19:23.308 – 00:19:33.358] Because you stand there and you look at him and say, “By God, that’s but for the grace of God, you would be me.” We forget that a lot of times in Alcoholics

[00:19:33.358 – 00:19:33.668] Anonymous.

[00:19:33.668 – 00:19:37.548] And they used to bring them wet drunks in, you know, one of them, and we used to put them all front row.

[00:19:37.548 – 00:19:39.308] That’s called a hopeless row.

[00:19:39.308 – 00:19:41.148] And if they put a drunk…

[00:19:41.148 – 00:19:45.508] a sober member behind him, so in case he fall back, he wouldn’t hit his head on the floor.

[00:19:45.508 – 00:19:50.528] They’d put one on each side of him, two in front of him, one in his lap, depending on how wet he was.

[00:19:50.528 – 00:19:53.368] And then they’d find out who’s talking tonight.

[00:19:53.368 – 00:19:53.888] “Uh-uh.

[00:19:53.888 – 00:19:55.188] No, no, you can’t talk.

[00:19:55.188 – 00:19:57.408] You’re too religious.” They’d get somebody else.

[00:19:57.408 – 00:20:05.698] “Now, get up there and talk about your drinking and getting drunk and getting well, getting better.” And they’d just switch programs right, and nobody got mad or anything else.

[00:20:05.698 – 00:20:11.968] And so whoever was talking would get up and start talking about drinking, and that wet drunk would say, “Hey, wait a minute.

[00:20:11.968 – 00:20:18.418] You don’t know nothing about drinking.” And somebody said, “Shut up.” You know how a wet drunk answers you when you tell him, “Shut up”?

[00:20:18.418 – 00:20:19.368] “Make me,” you know?

[00:20:19.368 – 00:20:26.788] And somebody said, “We said shut up.” He said, “I said make me,” and a voice from way back yonder said, “You can’t talk to that brother drunk like that.

[00:20:26.788 – 00:20:34.568] Why, that’s one of God’s kids.” And somebody else said, “Who said that?” “I said that.” “How long you been sober?” “Three months.” “Shut up.

[00:20:34.568 – 00:20:37.528] You don’t know the difference between chicken salad and something else,” you know?

[00:20:37.528 – 00:20:39.188] And, and guess what?

[00:20:39.188 – 00:20:41.188] That wet drunk is in hog heaven.

[00:20:41.188 – 00:20:49.968] Here are a bunch of people, bunch of people making a fuss about him when he just came from out there where they were fussing at him.

[00:20:49.968 – 00:20:54.308] And that’s the difference between them and us, and it will always be that way.

[00:20:54.308 – 00:20:56.248] And that’s what gets a drunk.

[00:20:56.248 – 00:21:03.868] Here he is, he’s drunk, and they’re arguing about how the best way to take care of him when he’s just come from a bunch of folks that were arguing how the best way to kill him.

[00:21:03.868 – 00:21:07.418] You see, it’s the attraction.

[00:21:07.418 – 00:21:11.768] It’s those things in Alcoholics Anonymous that brought us to where we are right now.

[00:21:11.768 – 00:21:12.367] And as a re…

[00:21:12.367 – 00:21:17.868] And you can study and seminar our literature all you want to, but it’s kind of like Castor oil.

[00:21:17.868 – 00:21:21.148] Until it works, you’re still constipated, any way you want to look at it.

[00:21:21.148 – 00:21:22.888] You betcha.

[00:21:22.888 – 00:21:28.808] And you got, you know, we got a living program, and we got a fun program to live by, and it’s ru…

[00:21:28.808 – 00:21:30.928] And so a lot of times, what do you have to do?

[00:21:30.928 – 00:21:33.388] Sometimes a wet drunk, you have to take them out.

[00:21:33.388 – 00:21:34.908] Sometimes they start fights.

[00:21:34.908 – 00:21:36.448] You got to call the police.

[00:21:36.448 – 00:21:37.768] But you bring them back when?

[00:21:37.768 – 00:21:39.648] When they’re better to hear the message.

[00:21:39.648 – 00:21:44.328] Because the group still must go on functioning, waiting for him and others to come.

[00:21:44.328 – 00:21:55.388] And I can assure you right here in this meeting right now, there may be one, there may be two, there may be three that

[00:21:55.388 – 00:22:05.488] have been fighting living sober just this part, this day alone, and got a concrete block in the middle of their belly big enough to land one of them

[00:22:05.488 – 00:22:08.908] DC-10s on, and hurting.

[00:22:08.908 – 00:22:13.948] That member is just as important as that wet drunk.

[00:22:13.948 – 00:22:18.938] That member is just as…

[00:22:18.938 – 00:22:25.428] But we take for granted a lot of times that, that because we’re sitting in a meeting that we don’t need tending to.

[00:22:25.428 – 00:22:30.028] We need more loving because we’ve got more to lose.

[00:22:30.028 – 00:22:32.388] We’ve got more to lose.

[00:22:32.388 – 00:22:39.488] Now, you hear it all the time in AA, if you’re new in AA tonight, you’re the most important person in this meeting tonight.

[00:22:39.488 – 00:22:40.288] Baloney.

[00:22:40.288 – 00:22:46.368] The welfare of that new one is the most important thing in that group.

[00:22:46.368 – 00:22:51.478] Every member is just as important as everybody else.

[00:22:51.478 – 00:22:53.760] But the welfare.

[00:22:53.760 – 00:23:03.760] Now, if the group is there to help that alcoholic after they get physically sober to begin to live the

[00:23:03.760 – 00:23:07.540] recovery program of Alcoholics Anonymous, that alcoholic has a better chance.

[00:23:07.540 – 00:23:08.840] It certainly does.

[00:23:08.840 – 00:23:13.860] But that’s only one rare of the aspects of our common welfare, you know?

[00:23:13.860 – 00:23:17.900] Back in the old days in Alcoholics Anonymous, they didn’t have any women in A.A., as I said.

[00:23:17.900 – 00:23:19.790] And first gal to get sober in A.A.

[00:23:19.790 – 00:23:21.600] was a gal by the name of Florence Rankin.

[00:23:21.600 – 00:23:29.100] And Florence got sober back, oh, back in, in the early days, right when they were trying to name the book of Alcoholics Anonymous and God Almighty.

[00:23:29.100 – 00:23:32.580] And they brought her there, and they didn’t know what to call the book of Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:23:32.580 – 00:23:35.260] You know, our fellowship wasn’t named until after the book came out.

[00:23:35.260 – 00:23:40.300] And they didn’t know what to call the book, and they decided they were gonna call it A Way Out.

[00:23:40.300 – 00:23:44.360] And so Fitz Mayo, who, uh, one of the early members, lived in the Washington, D.C.

[00:23:44.360 – 00:23:50.560] area, was going home, and they asked him to go to the Library of Congress and see, uh, check, see how many books were named A Way Out.

[00:23:50.560 – 00:23:52.760] And he sent a telegram back and said there were 12.

[00:23:52.760 – 00:24:02.760] Well, the drunks says, “Ours would be number thirteen, and thirteen is unlucky.” And then they were gonna call it the Grapevine, and the FBI got wind of it because the FBI has and

[00:24:02.760 – 00:24:05.500] still has a monthly journal called the Grapevine.

[00:24:05.500 – 00:24:10.340] And the FBI didn’t want no part of the drunks, and the drunks certainly didn’t want no part of the FBI.

[00:24:10.340 – 00:24:13.880] Well, we have a magazine called the Grapevine.

[00:24:13.880 – 00:24:18.320] That’s right, but it’s the Alcoholics Anonymous Grapevine.

[00:24:18.320 – 00:24:25.460] And the FBI said, pardon me, “As long as you put the two words Alcoholics Anonymous in front of your Grapevine, that’s okay.

[00:24:25.460 – 00:24:32.460] Then you can have her.” Well, they still hadn’t named it, and, and so they were gonna call it the First Hun- one Hundred Men.

[00:24:32.460 – 00:24:42.620] And, and Florence was in that meeting that night, and she says, “No, you’re not.” And they said, “Yes, we are.” And she had one of them women alcoholic fits, and she jumped up, took her shoes off, started

[00:24:42.620 – 00:24:46.440] throwing it and hitting everybody with her purse and everything else.

[00:24:46.440 – 00:24:47.620] And she called for a vote.

[00:24:47.620 – 00:24:51.880] She said, “We’re gonna call it the First one Hundred Men and a Woman.” And they said, “No, we’re not.

[00:24:51.880 – 00:24:56.620] It’ll make the title too long.” So they said, “Well, let’s have a vote.” So they had a vote.

[00:24:56.620 – 00:24:58.420] Everybody voted against her.

[00:24:58.420 – 00:25:01.179] And so, you know, and they didn’t do that.

[00:25:01.179 – 00:25:02.560] And then one night, you know, A.A.

[00:25:02.560 – 00:25:03.620] then is just like now.

[00:25:03.620 – 00:25:07.400] We got members that think that, that, you know, that we’re all things for all people.

[00:25:07.400 – 00:25:11.360] Just, you know, just, “Oh, come on in and let this spiritual thing heal you.

[00:25:11.360 – 00:25:17.280] You know, it’ll heal worms in your navel and athlete’s foot and wax in your ears, stuttering, and everything.

[00:25:17.280 – 00:25:24.080] Come on in here.” And, and you know, and, and so they had a drunk who had a friend, and he wasn’t even an alcoholic.

[00:25:24.080 – 00:25:25.600] He was a pure idiot.

[00:25:25.600 – 00:25:33.880] He was, he was locked up in an insane asylum in Connecticut.

[00:25:33.880 – 00:25:36.160] But he had a lot of money.

[00:25:36.160 – 00:25:38.840] He had enough money to burn all the wet elephants in Africa.

[00:25:38.840 – 00:25:48.880] And so he, they figured they’d get him in there and have this spiritual light flush him out real good, and then in a temporary fit of sanity,

[00:25:48.880 – 00:25:52.520] he would reach in and write some huge checks for them drunks, you know?

[00:25:52.520 – 00:25:55.260] Just long enough to get him to write a check or two.

[00:25:55.260 – 00:25:57.960] So they brought him to this meeting, hoping this thing would help him.

[00:25:57.960 – 00:26:00.480] And they were arguing about what they were gonna name the book.

[00:26:00.480 – 00:26:02.740] And so they put him over in the corner.

[00:26:02.740 – 00:26:10.180] He had been the owner and publisher of, of a tremendous, um, uh, magazine and one of the most prestigious.

[00:26:10.180 – 00:26:11.320] It’s still in print today.

[00:26:11.320 – 00:26:15.600] And there’s another little story of that magazine, but time will not permit it in relationship with A.A.

[00:26:15.600 – 00:26:16.080] later on.

[00:26:16.080 – 00:26:19.140] And so they had him over in the corner and arguing about what they’re gonna call the book.

[00:26:19.140 – 00:26:24.029] And meanwhile, finally, the chairman of the meeting said to the, the member of A.A.

[00:26:24.029 – 00:26:30.100] that brought his friend over in the corner, he said, “He’s mumbling over there, and he’s making too much noise.

[00:26:30.100 – 00:26:31.220] Would you shut him up?

[00:26:31.220 – 00:26:37.420] He’s disrupting the meeting.” And so the member goes over there to quiet him down, and he, he walks over there.

[00:26:37.420 – 00:26:39.540] He hears what the nut’s mumbling.

[00:26:39.540 – 00:26:41.600] And you know what the nut was mumbling?

[00:26:41.600 – 00:26:44.300] Anonymous alcoholic, anonymous alcoholic, anonymous alco…

[00:26:44.300 – 00:26:45.760] That’s all he was saying, anonymous alco…

[00:26:45.760 – 00:26:46.260] He turned around.

[00:26:46.260 – 00:26:47.540] He said, “Did you hear what he’s saying?

[00:26:47.540 – 00:26:56.840] Anonymous alcoholic.” Well, now, the two words Alcoholics Anonymous had been used very sparingly in the Cleveland, Canton, Akron area.

[00:26:56.840 – 00:27:07.620] And so they said, “What about Alcoholics Anonymous?” So if you get too

[00:27:07.620 – 00:27:14.779] good before you get well in this deal, just remember that a pure idiot helped name our fellowship.

[00:27:14.779 – 00:27:24.860] And after that meeting, they took him back to the nuthouse, and that’s the last time

[00:27:24.860 – 00:27:27.840] he was in the free world, and he died in the insane asylum, you know?

[00:27:27.840 – 00:27:29.360] We never know where it come up.

[00:27:29.360 – 00:27:36.500] And, you know, back in the old days, in, in, in the old Manhattan group in, in New York, you know, they had a drunk by the name of Jimmy Burrows.

[00:27:36.500 – 00:27:39.620] Now, Jimmy, I guess, contributed to A.A.

[00:27:39.620 – 00:27:40.660] It was Jimmy.

[00:27:40.660 – 00:27:50.660] Jimmy was an atheist, and it was Jimmy who forced Bill to put into the 12 Steps that ten strike that has allowed hundreds

[00:27:50.660 – 00:27:57.680] and hundreds of alcoholics to have come to us, are coming to us, and will come to us, the comfort to be in our recovery program.

[00:27:57.680 – 00:28:07.340] And he forced Bill to put in those words, “God as we understood Him.” Now, and back in those days, they, uh, you know, they didn’t, the, the, The Serenity Prayer was unknown.

[00:28:07.340 – 00:28:10.580] And they certainly didn’t say the Lord’s Prayer.

[00:28:10.580 – 00:28:16.440] And incidentally, forty-six percent of our membership in the world reside outside the continental limits of North America.

[00:28:16.440 – 00:28:23.640] And now of that forty-six percent, ninety-nine percent or better, they do not say the Lord’s Prayer at the end of the meeting.

[00:28:23.640 – 00:28:27.800] They open every meeting with the Serenity Prayer, and they close every meeting with the Serenity Prayer.

[00:28:27.800 – 00:28:35.010] They do not say the Lord’s Prayer other than in, in some, in many groups in Western Canada do not say the Lord’s Prayer at the end of the meeting.

[00:28:35.010 – 00:28:38.880] And you don’t dare reach out and hold hands with a Muslim, I’ll tell you.

[00:28:38.880 – 00:28:41.720] You’re liable to bring back knuckles, you know?

[00:28:41.720 – 00:28:42.300] Yeah.

[00:28:42.300 – 00:28:45.780] They take all this thing very personally and very, very serious.

[00:28:45.780 – 00:28:46.860] They certainly do.

[00:28:46.860 – 00:28:55.110] And so as a result, but, and back in those days, and Jimmy would, when he gets talking about God- Jimmy Burwell would disrupt the meeting.

[00:28:55.110 – 00:28:57.320] He said, “Look, I don’t want to hear anything about God.

[00:28:57.320 – 00:29:07.700] I’m an alcoholic, and I am sober, and you can’t kick me out of the group, but I don’t want to hear anything about God.” And it just caused more problems with the common welfare, and it got so bad, so finally,

[00:29:07.700 – 00:29:14.640] the secretary would notify all the members of the group that they were moving, but they wouldn’t notify Jimmy, and they’d just move the meeting.

[00:29:14.640 – 00:29:23.050] Well, but the problem was, uh, Jimmy would find them, and then they’d move again without telling Jimmy, and but they ran out of h- places to meet.

[00:29:23.050 – 00:29:27.800] Well, they c- had to get rid of Jimmy, so they cooked up a deal with Bill and Dr.

[00:29:27.800 – 00:29:33.700] Bob, and they called Jimmy in and said, uh, Bill, and said, “Jimmy,” he says, “Dr.

[00:29:33.700 – 00:29:43.780] Bob and I, we’re going to start an automobile polish company, and we need a salesman, and we’re going to send you out on the road selling this automobile polish.” They

[00:29:43.780 – 00:29:48.660] weren’t going to make it, but they wanted to get him out, and Jimmy was the only one in that group that had a car.

[00:29:48.660 – 00:29:58.280] And they were willing to make the supreme sacrifice to, to lose the car, but to just get him out of the group for the harmony of the group and the peace of the group.

[00:29:58.280 – 00:30:07.919] So they made Jimmy the sales manager of a one-man sales force to sell automobile polish that wasn’t going to ever be made, and they sent him out on the road.

[00:30:07.919 – 00:30:17.980] Well, he got down as far as Philadelphia, 90 miles away, and he did what any good self-respecting good member of AA does, uh, if you want to stay sober, and he went out and he got him a,

[00:30:17.980 – 00:30:18.780] a wet drunk.

[00:30:18.780 – 00:30:23.960] And lo and behold, that drunk got sober, and he took the bait, and they started a little group.

[00:30:23.960 – 00:30:27.220] And back in those days, you used to put a blurb in the newspaper.

[00:30:27.220 – 00:30:30.060] If you got a problem with alcohol, you want to get fixed.

[00:30:30.060 – 00:30:34.280] They used to call it fixing drunks, kind of sort of like a veterinarian, you know?

[00:30:34.280 – 00:30:39.740] And they had this meeting, and they were meeting in this hotel, and there was a gal by the name of Gladys.

[00:30:39.740 – 00:30:47.040] And Gladys was a, at one time, evidently, was a good-looking thing, and, and she was an old, uh, chorus line dancer.

[00:30:47.040 – 00:30:52.660] And so, and she read this, and she shows up there just drunker than an eight dollar bill.

[00:30:52.660 – 00:31:00.220] And in those days, you used to have guards standing outside the door, and only, only, only real alcoholics could come in.

[00:31:00.220 – 00:31:10.280] And so she comes up there weaving, and he says to her, “What do you want?” She says, “Is this where you fix drunks?” He says, “You go over there.”

[00:31:10.280 – 00:31:15.760] She said, “What’s over there?” He says, “That’s where them others are meeting.” That’s the family, you know, wives and them.

[00:31:15.760 – 00:31:25.1000] And back in those days, they had to have the wives meet at the same time because the wives were the only ones that were working, and the wives were the only ones that were making any money, and the only wives were the only ones that had a driver’s license

[00:31:25.1000 – 00:31:26.740] that was valid.

[00:31:26.740 – 00:31:28.920] And so they had to get them to the…

[00:31:28.920 – 00:31:31.020] anyway to get the drunks to the meeting.

[00:31:31.020 – 00:31:37.480] And so as a result, you know, and she said, “I want to go where you fix drunks.” And he said, “No woman’s a drunk.

[00:31:37.480 – 00:31:44.730] Go over there with the rest of them.” And with that, she pulled out this piece of paper, and she said, “It says here that you fix drunks.

[00:31:44.730 – 00:31:54.800] I’ve got a problem with alcohol, and I want to get fixed.” He said, “Yeah, you want to get fixed probably, but not the way we think you do.” And she says, “Are you calling me a liar?”

[00:31:54.800 – 00:31:56.040] And she reached down.

[00:31:56.040 – 00:32:01.760] She took off one of them open toe, open heel sling spike pump heels, you know, with them big spikes.

[00:32:01.760 – 00:32:08.160] And she took it off and started beating on that drunk, and she had him down on the floor just beating the living daylights out of him.

[00:32:08.160 – 00:32:11.910] And he said, “Lady, if you’re that serious about getting fixed, go in,” you know.

[00:32:11.910 – 00:32:17.180] And, you know, and, and, and as a result, “Just go on.

[00:32:17.180 – 00:32:18.720] Get in.” Of course, he had no choice.

[00:32:18.720 – 00:32:19.820] She’s going to kill him.

[00:32:19.820 – 00:32:30.260] And, you know, and, you know, that g- that, that drunk that was on the door that night, the guard, was none other than Ebby Thatcher, our co-founder Bill’s friend and sponsor.

[00:32:30.260 – 00:32:33.220] He later became Gladys’ sponsor.

[00:32:33.220 – 00:32:35.580] And Gladys was a tremendous gal.

[00:32:35.580 – 00:32:41.459] She moved to our part of the country, and so long ago, we found there’s another group in, in my, my part of the country.

[00:32:41.459 – 00:32:43.980] You know, they’re, they’re getting good before they’re getting well.

[00:32:43.980 – 00:32:44.260] You…

[00:32:44.260 – 00:32:45.480] we see them all the time in AA.

[00:32:45.480 – 00:32:51.240] They come in, they stop drinking, and they stop smoking, and they quit cussing, and they start losing weight, start jogging.

[00:32:51.240 – 00:32:53.840] I’ve never been arrested for fat driving.

[00:32:53.840 – 00:32:55.360] I don’t know about anybody else.

[00:32:55.360 – 00:32:59.500] And, you know, they’re getting good before they’re getting well, and they had a bunch…

[00:32:59.500 – 00:33:03.060] And back in those days, you used to call it Red Riding Hood and wolves, you know?

[00:33:03.060 – 00:33:10.239] And they had some Red Ride Hood and wolves, and, and, and this bunch that’s getting good said, “Why, that bunch is running the reputation of our group.

[00:33:10.239 – 00:33:14.260] We got to get rid of them.” Well, you can’t throw anybody out of a group if they’re sober.

[00:33:14.260 – 00:33:15.480] In fact, you, you can’t.

[00:33:15.480 – 00:33:19.020] You have to take everybody’s word when they come and say, “I’m an alcoholic,” you know?

[00:33:19.020 – 00:33:23.100] You know, in AA, you don’t have to worry about who’s lying to you or who’s telling the truth.

[00:33:23.100 – 00:33:26.180] The key is, the trick is stay sober and see what happens.

[00:33:26.180 – 00:33:26.610] That’s all.

[00:33:26.610 – 00:33:30.660] And so they got to say they couldn’t throw them out, so they didn’t know what to do.

[00:33:30.660 – 00:33:40.530] So they sat down, and they wrote a letter to Bill Wilson, and they said, “Dear Bill, we’ve got some Red Riding Hood and the wolves in our group, and they are running the reputation of our gr-

[00:33:40.676 – 00:33:40.976] Group.

[00:33:40.976 – 00:33:44.936] Bill wrote a letter back saying, “Dear group, are they staying sober?

[00:33:44.936 – 00:33:52.556] Love, Bill.” They said, “Something wrong with Bill.” So they sat down and wrote a more detailed letter, and they sent it to him.

[00:33:52.556 – 00:33:55.676] Bill sent back a letter said, “Dear group, are they still staying sober?

[00:33:55.676 – 00:34:01.396] Love, Bill.” They said, “Something wrong with Bill.” So they sat down and really wrote a detailed with Louis.

[00:34:01.396 – 00:34:03.096] They didn’t know what that bunch is doing.

[00:34:03.096 – 00:34:06.656] It wasn’t a question of what that Red Riding Hood and wolves were doing over there.

[00:34:06.656 – 00:34:13.576] The, the whole deal was this bunch over here didn’t want it that way, and they were going to get their way regardless of whatever it is.

[00:34:13.576 – 00:34:23.636] And so they sent this detailed letter, airmail, special, certified, return receipt requested, and the letter came back,

[00:34:23.636 – 00:34:26.556] said, “Dear group, are they still staying sober?

[00:34:26.556 – 00:34:27.476] Love, Bill.

[00:34:27.476 – 00:34:31.556] Don’t bother me anymore.” And guess what happened?

[00:34:31.556 – 00:34:37.716] This bunch over here was so busy drafting letters and waiting to get answers how to throw them out the group.

[00:34:37.716 – 00:34:41.056] When they finally looked over there at them, guess what?

[00:34:41.056 – 00:34:43.116] The problem had taken care of itself.

[00:34:43.116 – 00:34:53.236] And I am so thankful that that experience was shared with me my first few weeks in Alcoholics Anonymous, which has meant to me and means to me right this second that

[00:34:53.236 – 00:35:03.236] I’ve got all I can do to take care of David’s relationship with his creator and the re- recovery program of Alcoholics Anonymous, and you have got all you can do to take care

[00:35:03.236 – 00:35:07.056] of your relationship with your creator and your recovery program.

[00:35:07.056 – 00:35:12.436] And you don’t need my nose in your business, and I don’t need your noses in my business.

[00:35:12.436 – 00:35:16.316] And that’s what we call live and let live in Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:35:16.316 – 00:35:26.556] And that is how in AA we keep the common welfare to where we don’t get involved or try not to get involved in personal things that ain’t got nothing to do

[00:35:26.556 – 00:35:35.176] with anybody staying sober in Alcoholics Anonymous and begins to be a block and a bar in freedom in living the recovery program of Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:35:35.176 – 00:35:41.516] And so AA found out long ago that sex and money wasn’t going to break us up, you know?

[00:35:41.516 – 00:35:47.956] But we still have forces that, uh, uh, that bother us in the ways that alcohol and sex could not.

[00:35:47.956 – 00:35:51.615] And these are desires for power, for domination, for glory.

[00:35:51.615 – 00:35:53.596] They’re all the more dangerous.

[00:35:53.596 – 00:35:58.416] So pride, fear, and anger, these are the prime enemies of our common welfare.

[00:35:58.416 – 00:36:07.796] So for the sake of our entire society, for the purpose of AA’s traditional, uh, principles, is to bring these forces to the top and to keep them there at all times.

[00:36:07.796 – 00:36:17.816] Only then can our common welfare be served, and only then can AA’s unity continue to go in the manner in which it is going because it’s not

[00:36:17.816 – 00:36:23.736] only life and death for us, but more important for the alcoholic who is still to come.

[00:36:23.736 – 00:36:31.096] Tradition two, for our group purposes, but one ultimate authority, a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience.

[00:36:31.096 – 00:36:32.966] Our leaders are but trusted servants.

[00:36:32.966 – 00:36:33.856] They do not govern.

[00:36:33.856 – 00:36:43.916] You know, when this tradition first came out and was first proposed to the membership of Alcoholics Anonymous, the oldest members in the group, God Almighty,

[00:36:43.916 – 00:36:47.576] some of them were having hernias and going crazy and everything else.

[00:36:47.576 – 00:36:51.456] What do you mean that I, I’m the authority in this group?

[00:36:51.456 – 00:36:54.956] If it wouldn’t be for me, that bunch would still be barefooted.

[00:36:54.956 – 00:37:01.156] They’d still be rolling them cigarettes instead of ready-mades, and I got them jobs and everything else.

[00:37:01.156 – 00:37:05.396] And I am the conscience of the group because my group ain’t got no conscience.

[00:37:05.396 – 00:37:06.476] I’m it.

[00:37:06.476 – 00:37:08.996] And God, they got all upset.

[00:37:08.996 – 00:37:15.576] And then they come to find out, you know, and the early AA members quickly recognized the power driver.

[00:37:15.576 – 00:37:23.716] That is the, uh, the potential group wrecker, and he or she is still around.

[00:37:23.716 – 00:37:30.056] The member who is always sure that he or she is always right.

[00:37:30.056 – 00:37:38.216] The member who is happily ready to assume all the res– burdens of leadership but won’t give it up.

[00:37:38.216 – 00:37:43.736] Now, boys, he ga-gathers all his babies together.

[00:37:43.736 – 00:37:48.556] Now, we’re getting ready to have an election, and we don’t need that bunch over there.

[00:37:48.556 – 00:37:54.436] God, half of them are dopers, and half of them are this or that, and we’re going to keep it together.

[00:37:54.436 – 00:37:56.636] Now, I want every one of y’all to vote.

[00:37:56.636 – 00:37:59.436] When I raise my hand up, you raise your hand up.

[00:37:59.436 – 00:38:01.056] And if I keep my hand, you do it.

[00:38:01.056 – 00:38:03.916] And you get all your babies to do the same thing.

[00:38:03.916 – 00:38:09.696] And by God, we ain’t going to let them foreigners come in here and ruin our group, you know?

[00:38:09.696 – 00:38:14.076] And as a result of it and, but a group does need officers, you know?

[00:38:14.076 – 00:38:15.976] And they don’t want to give them up.

[00:38:15.976 – 00:38:19.876] That’s how they pass it along the line, you know, so they don’t have to give it up.

[00:38:19.876 – 00:38:21.996] But a group does need officers.

[00:38:21.996 – 00:38:23.936] So how do we cope with this dilemma?

[00:38:23.936 – 00:38:25.736] Well, tradition two provides the answer.

[00:38:25.736 – 00:38:35.736] AA is both a democracy and our own co-founder, Bill Wilson, said, “Benign anarchy.” A group elects its own officers who have no power or

[00:38:35.736 – 00:38:38.676] authority to order anybody to do anything.

[00:38:38.676 – 00:38:43.016] So what, you know, so what’s the big deal if you’re elected the group chairman?

[00:38:43.016 – 00:38:45.956] Ain’t no big honor to be known as the head sick, you know?

[00:38:45.956 – 00:38:50.636] And that’s the reason why in AA we, we have election every six months.

[00:38:50.636 – 00:38:56.736] We don’t want anybody to build up any resentment, and, and we, we want them to give them an opportunity to be the head sick, you know?

[00:38:56.736 – 00:39:06.736] And if a group wants to be a part of the worldwide AA fellowship, we all know this, it elects a GSR, and GSR in, in turn elects a committee member, and the GSR,

[00:39:06.736 – 00:39:12.916] the committee members, and then they have the, they elect the area committee and a delegate, and then they have a general service conference.

[00:39:12.916 – 00:39:23.876] But neither the conference, nor the general service board, nor even he’s just got about as much, your delegate has about as, about as much power as a dead gnat in

[00:39:23.876 – 00:39:26.376] telling you what to and what not to do.

[00:39:26.376 – 00:39:34.616] All he can do is share his experiences, share AA’s experiences, but he can’t force you to do a doggone thing.

[00:39:34.616 – 00:39:41.324] You see, in A.A., we either do the deal and face the consequences, or we don’t do it and face the consequences.

[00:39:41.324 – 00:39:48.184] A group either lives by the traditions and face the consequences, or it doesn’t live by the traditions and face the consequences.

[00:39:48.184 – 00:39:56.564] The fellowship as a whole either lives by our principles and faces the consequences or don’t live by the principles as a whole and face the consequences.

[00:39:56.564 – 00:39:59.944] Either way around, we have to face the consequences.

[00:39:59.944 – 00:40:09.964] And may I remind every one of us, we’re here because of those consequences before we got here that we couldn’t stand facing

[00:40:09.964 – 00:40:10.524] anymore.

[00:40:10.524 – 00:40:16.944] And they’re there waiting on us when we get so smug, and we get so smart.

[00:40:16.944 – 00:40:22.824] And so you’re going to ask, “Well, who’s in charge around here?” Well, that’s very simple.

[00:40:22.824 – 00:40:27.024] In A.A., no human power but God.

[00:40:27.024 – 00:40:32.164] And that is the pr– there lies the crux to the reason that A.A.

[00:40:32.164 – 00:40:40.564] is so successful, is because our kind, we will not knuckle under to human power.

[00:40:40.564 – 00:40:47.964] We can be led, we can be inspired, but we can’t be governed.

[00:40:47.964 – 00:40:51.704] Ask any of them Al-Anons that’s living with you.

[00:40:51.704 – 00:40:55.044] Can’t be governed.

[00:40:55.044 – 00:40:58.104] And so that is the reason.

[00:40:58.104 – 00:41:00.664] Tradition Three, the only requirement for A.A.

[00:41:00.664 – 00:41:02.324] membership is the desire to stop drinking.

[00:41:02.324 – 00:41:09.724] Now, right to this second, that tradition still says this, the only requirement for A.A.

[00:41:09.724 – 00:41:13.284] membership, and that first A still stands for alcoholic.

[00:41:13.284 – 00:41:18.704] Not addiction, not addict, but alcoholic.

[00:41:18.704 – 00:41:21.724] Now, we have to remember about members of Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:41:21.724 – 00:41:29.924] Members of Alcoholics Anonymous were, are, and will always be alcoholics, even though we may have other problems, and that umbrella covers it all.

[00:41:29.924 – 00:41:38.144] You know, we’re, we have and are still very concerned in A.A., maybe sometime exercise too much about our membership.

[00:41:38.144 – 00:41:45.164] In fact, when strong and heavy publicity first came A.A.’s way, and even today, there’s more publicity about alcoholism than ever before.

[00:41:45.164 – 00:41:53.684] They used to say in those days, when all kinds of odd people show up who have complications, alcohol mixed with pills and other things.

[00:41:53.684 – 00:41:59.844] In the old days, you know, they used to talk about that mythical character called the pure alcoholic, just a guzzler, you know?

[00:41:59.844 – 00:42:02.644] Just a guzzler.

[00:42:02.644 – 00:42:08.204] And then when A.A., and then, then they said, “Won’t there be some mighty queer people?

[00:42:08.204 – 00:42:09.424] Won’t there be criminals?

[00:42:09.424 – 00:42:15.094] Won’t there be social dis- undesirables and de- degenerates?” And you know, since A.A.

[00:42:15.094 – 00:42:22.184] started, every kind of a human being that’s an alcoholic has found their way and doors into Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:42:22.184 – 00:42:27.724] Well, isn’t every o- a organization entitled to a rule for membership?

[00:42:27.724 – 00:42:29.124] Why did A.A.

[00:42:29.124 – 00:42:31.724] de- decide- Cassette over.

[00:42:31.724 – 00:42:34.224] Side one has come to an end.

[00:42:34.224 – 00:42:35.464] Just turn the cassette over.

[00:42:35.464 – 00:42:37.864] Side one in just a moment.

[00:42:37.864 – 00:42:41.963] Side two will resume in just a moment.

[00:42:41.963 – 00:42:47.254] Side- This privilege to be all inclusive but never exclusive.

[00:42:47.254 – 00:42:48.104] That’s easy.

[00:42:48.104 – 00:42:52.104] The early members tried it the other way to be exclusive.

[00:42:52.104 – 00:42:55.784] They said, “Nuh-uh, you still got a car, you still got shoes, you go over to that group.

[00:42:55.784 – 00:42:59.284] You’re barefooted, you stink, you go over to this group.

[00:42:59.284 – 00:43:03.264] You’re nuts, you go to this group,” you know?

[00:43:03.264 – 00:43:05.224] And it didn’t work.

[00:43:05.224 – 00:43:06.684] And so when A.A.

[00:43:06.684 – 00:43:17.084] was ten years old, the office that serves as our headquarters asked all the groups to send in all their membership rules, and if all of those rules for membership were enforced

[00:43:17.084 – 00:43:22.824] at, at the same time in A.A., no alcoholic could ever be a member of A.A.

[00:43:22.824 – 00:43:25.664] Our two co-founders, Bill and Dr.

[00:43:25.664 – 00:43:27.824] Bob, never could be members of A.A.

[00:43:27.824 – 00:43:32.273] If you read Bill’s story, and Bill, you know, alcohol and sedatives, and Dr.

[00:43:32.273 – 00:43:37.834] Bob, uh, alcohol and barbiturates, you know, could never have been, uh, members of A.A.

[00:43:37.834 – 00:43:44.064] And so as a result, the rule books were thrown out, and one single sentence.

[00:43:44.064 – 00:43:48.014] Well, but it does say one requirement for membership, doesn’t it?

[00:43:48.014 – 00:43:52.864] The only requirement for membership is the desire to stop drinking, and they don’t mean Welch’s grape juice either, you know.

[00:43:52.864 – 00:43:57.044] I was in a group not long ago, and then they got to arguing about somebody was over there.

[00:43:57.044 – 00:44:02.224] A gal was in there, and God bless her, a nice lady, a little confused, naturally, like a lot of us.

[00:44:02.224 – 00:44:12.304] And she was confused, and she said, “No, I’m not an alcoholic, but I’m a straight addict.” And then she said, you know, to me, she looked at me, and she said, uh, uh,

[00:44:12.304 – 00:44:24.884] you know, she said, “But if I drank alcohol, then I’d be an alcoholic.” I said, “Honey, if my mama would’ve had steel wheels, she’d have been a locomotive.” You

[00:44:24.884 – 00:44:30.604] can’t talk about something you ain’t never done, and you can’t go back to some place you ain’t never been.

[00:44:30.604 – 00:44:38.184] I said, “But you stay here, and then, and then we’ll see where you can get some help for you.

[00:44:38.184 – 00:44:43.524] For you.” We are bound by our responsibility, you know.

[00:44:43.524 – 00:44:48.644] In fact, if you ain’t got no group, we’ll find another straight addict, and we’ll start a group.

[00:44:48.644 – 00:44:54.124] We’ll get you two of them, get you rolling if you want to, and let you have everything we got to get to rolling with it.

[00:44:54.124 – 00:45:04.624] And incidentally, that’s one of the greatest things that’s happened to Alcoholics Anonymous since Narcotics Anonymous came out with a very tremendously fine recovery program and a tremendous

[00:45:04.624 – 00:45:05.064] book.

[00:45:05.064 – 00:45:07.704] They have their own general service structure today.

[00:45:07.704 – 00:45:08.684] They have their own general…

[00:45:08.684 – 00:45:09.804] They have their conference.

[00:45:09.804 – 00:45:10.604] They have everything.

[00:45:10.604 – 00:45:12.854] And God Almighty, it is something else.

[00:45:12.854 – 00:45:14.644] And I’ve gone to a lot of open N.A.

[00:45:14.644 – 00:45:23.004] meetings, and I was in one about four or five months ago, and I’m sitting on the front row, and, uh, the sponsor grabbed the one that was supposed to talk at that meeting.

[00:45:23.004 – 00:45:26.244] He says, “Now listen, when you get up there, this is Narcotics Anonymous.

[00:45:26.244 – 00:45:30.504] You talk about your doping, and don’t talk about your drinking,” and I got to laughing.

[00:45:30.504 – 00:45:32.144] The shoe’s on the other foot, isn’t it?

[00:45:32.144 – 00:45:33.564] You see?

[00:45:33.564 – 00:45:37.744] And so that gives us all the room to live, and this is what’s so great.

[00:45:37.744 – 00:45:41.344] Love and tolerance and kindness is the whole key and essence.

[00:45:41.344 – 00:45:42.552] It’s our being.

[00:45:42.552 – 00:45:43.952] It certainly is.

[00:45:43.952 – 00:45:45.372] I mean, a lot of them, they get exercise.

[00:45:45.372 – 00:45:47.752] In AA, you don’t have to worry about who is and who ain’t.

[00:45:47.752 – 00:45:54.392] Now, the age that brings us to AA will either force us to stay or it’ll eliminate us, one of the two, you know?

[00:45:54.392 – 00:45:58.212] And so to go back, it states one requirement, the desire to stop drinking alcohol.

[00:45:58.212 – 00:46:01.552] Well, let’s read it again and ask another question.

[00:46:01.552 – 00:46:08.992] Who determines whether or not a newcomer qualifies, whether he or she wants to stop drinking?

[00:46:08.992 – 00:46:19.012] I’ve been in AA groups all over this world, and I ain’t ever been in one that’s got an instrument that you can stick in, up, down, and through an alcoholic to find out how alcoholic they

[00:46:19.012 – 00:46:24.692] are, or if they’re going to stay sober or if they’re going to go back to drinking, you know?

[00:46:24.692 – 00:46:29.632] In fact, you know, obviously nobody but the individual themselves.

[00:46:29.632 – 00:46:36.712] That AA puts the blame on the individual where it belongs.

[00:46:36.712 – 00:46:38.292] Where it belongs.

[00:46:38.292 – 00:46:48.292] Well, you know, God, w- w- as long as we start something else to blame somebody else for being an alcoholic, the alcoholic never

[00:46:48.292 – 00:46:51.252] has a chance to look at the alcoholic’s own hole card.

[00:46:51.252 – 00:46:55.152] They blame it on their daddy.

[00:46:55.152 – 00:46:56.412] They blame it on their mama.

[00:46:56.412 – 00:46:57.792] They blame it on their grandpa.

[00:46:57.792 – 00:46:59.172] They blame it on Moses.

[00:46:59.172 – 00:47:00.372] They blame it on God.

[00:47:00.372 – 00:47:01.692] They blame it on the church.

[00:47:01.692 – 00:47:05.852] They blame it, and they don’t blame it on the fact they, they themselves are the ones that drink.

[00:47:05.852 – 00:47:09.492] They’re the ones that drink.

[00:47:09.492 – 00:47:11.472] You betcha.

[00:47:11.472 – 00:47:22.352] The largest percentage of members of Alcoholics Anonymous did not come from an

[00:47:22.352 – 00:47:23.132] alcoholic home.

[00:47:23.132 – 00:47:28.202] Did not come from an alcoholic home.

[00:47:28.202 – 00:47:39.572] The largest percentage of members of Alcoholics that are sober today in AA never got DWIs, never lost families, never

[00:47:39.572 – 00:47:40.832] lost businesses or jobs.

[00:47:40.832 – 00:47:46.752] They’re the toughest to keep in Alcoholics Anonymous because they can compare themselves out of the door.

[00:47:46.752 – 00:47:51.691] I didn’t get arrested, therefore, I must not be an alcoholic.

[00:47:51.691 – 00:47:54.352] I didn’t do this, therefore, I must not be an alcoholic.

[00:47:54.352 – 00:47:57.522] In AA, if you get here, I have a suggestion.

[00:47:57.522 – 00:48:04.292] Let’s look at the similarities and quit looking at the differences, and we’ve got a chance.

[00:48:04.292 – 00:48:14.192] And so as a result of it, we’re alive today because AA, AA stands for us.

[00:48:14.192 – 00:48:16.192] The doors were opened for us.

[00:48:16.192 – 00:48:26.242] No matter how many times we have slid, no matter how many times some of us have slipped, they loved us, and they hugged us, and they said, “Come on in.” Tradition four,

[00:48:26.242 – 00:48:31.612] each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting, uh, other groups or AA as a whole.

[00:48:31.612 – 00:48:37.092] Now, a member who does any amount of traveling finds the AA spirit much the same everywhere.

[00:48:37.092 – 00:48:40.352] But apart from this inward kinship, there’s vast differences among groups.

[00:48:40.352 – 00:48:46.912] A traveler may find two or three discussing the steps or a topic in the back seat of a car or under a tree in a living room.

[00:48:46.912 – 00:48:52.272] Somewhere else, they may find as many as three hundred listening to a talker in a, in a auditorium.

[00:48:52.272 – 00:48:58.712] In one part of the, uh, United St- or, or AA world, respectful silence greets the talker who says, “Hi, everybody.

[00:48:58.712 – 00:49:03.352] My name is David, and I’m an alcoholic.” In a lot of other places, they holler, “Hi, David” back.

[00:49:03.352 – 00:49:13.532] In Southern California, which since the middle of 1955 has had the largest membership of Alcoholics Anonymous, the be- meetings out there are basically the same, and until

[00:49:13.532 – 00:49:17.612] whoever gets up and talks says, “I’m an alcoholic,” no one answers them back.

[00:49:17.612 – 00:49:27.872] And in some parts of the country, you know, and, uh, you know, and, uh, I, I remember when I happened to be a delegate at the General Service conference, and, and Wednesday night was a free night,

[00:49:27.872 – 00:49:33.212] and, uh, uh, and so it happened to be my tenth AA birthday at that time.

[00:49:33.212 – 00:49:43.412] And so we, we went to a big meeting there in New York City, and, and a bunch of the delegates, that is from Arkansas, and Texas, and Mississippi, and Georgia, they called us the Bible Belt drunks,

[00:49:43.412 – 00:49:43.732] you know.

[00:49:43.732 – 00:49:51.252] And there must have been about twenty-five of us, and we all went to this big meeting, and there must have been about three hundred, uh, people in the auditorium.

[00:49:51.252 – 00:49:55.322] And, and, and so this talker got up, and he said, “Hi, everybody.

[00:49:55.322 – 00:50:03.251] My name is Joe,” and we all hollered back, “Hi, Joe.” And, God, three hundred people turned around and looked at us, said, “What’s going on around here?

[00:50:03.251 – 00:50:08.832] They don’t do that up there.” Now, you have to remember about those people up in the northeastern part of the United States.

[00:50:08.832 – 00:50:10.012] You know, they’re not cold.

[00:50:10.012 – 00:50:11.812] That’s just defects of character.

[00:50:11.812 – 00:50:12.412] That’s all.

[00:50:12.412 – 00:50:22.752] And so, uh, and, and, and there are hour meetings, there are hour-and-a-half meetings, there’s two-hour meetings, there’s five-hour meetings, there’s eleven o’clock meetings, there’s all-night meetings, there’s barefoot

[00:50:22.752 – 00:50:26.332] meetings, there are candlelight meetings, there’s incense-burning meetings.

[00:50:26.332 – 00:50:30.722] And every place all over the world, each group has the freedom to work out in its own-

[00:50:30.984 – 00:50:32.854] Own autonomy in its own meeting.

[00:50:32.854 – 00:50:40.484] And, you know, and as a result of it, and this is what we mean, except in matters affecting other A groups or A as a whole.

[00:50:40.484 – 00:50:50.604] And so the first four traditions sets up our welfare, what we’re here, who’s the boss, knocks out all rules and membership.

[00:50:50.604 – 00:50:54.124] You’re free to come, you’re free to go, you’re free to stay, you’re free to do.

[00:50:54.124 – 00:51:04.344] And the fourth tradition allows a group to be an AA group, and now it sets it up for tradition five, the only reason that we’re in business.

[00:51:04.344 – 00:51:10.304] Each group has but one primary purpose, to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.

[00:51:10.304 – 00:51:18.404] Now, if the group is adhering basically to the first four traditions, then it is carrying its AA message.

[00:51:18.404 – 00:51:23.914] If it is not adhering to any of the traditions, it is not carrying AA’s message.

[00:51:23.914 – 00:51:25.584] Because I’ve been in a lot of A…

[00:51:25.584 – 00:51:28.104] I’ve been to a lot of groups that call themselves AA.

[00:51:28.104 – 00:51:29.284] I’ve been in their meetings.

[00:51:29.284 – 00:51:32.564] You don’t know whether you’re in AA, A&P, or Texas A&M.

[00:51:32.564 – 00:51:33.524] I don’t mind telling you.

[00:51:33.524 – 00:51:40.124] Now, you know, every newcomer learns the hard way that this business of staying sober must have top priority.

[00:51:40.124 – 00:51:43.304] If we fail at that, we’ll never succeed at anything else.

[00:51:43.304 – 00:51:48.604] The fifth tradition just simply reminds us that groups should remember their primary purpose.

[00:51:48.604 – 00:51:53.304] Very often, an unthinking enthusiasm puts a group off the main track.

[00:51:53.304 – 00:52:01.964] Some groups, you know, uh, put on, uh, uh, they offer expanded AA programs, including helping newcomers find jobs.

[00:52:01.964 – 00:52:12.144] I’ve been in a lot of AA groups where you can’t find the meeting schedule because their, their bulletin board’s cluttered up with car washing wanted, babysitting wanted, f- uh, fire,

[00:52:12.144 – 00:52:18.584] firewood for sale, you know, and, and grass cutting and, and raffles and everything else under this God’s word.

[00:52:18.584 – 00:52:20.664] You can’t tell where the meeting’s going to be, you know.

[00:52:20.664 – 00:52:25.704] Now, tradition five doesn’t frown on the individual AA member who tells another about a good job.

[00:52:25.704 – 00:52:33.424] But when the group turns itself into an employment agency, then the newcomer may get confused about his primary purpose.

[00:52:33.424 – 00:52:41.264] AA’s function is to help that newcomer get sober and stay sober, and then that newcomer can get his own job or, by God, he can quit his job.

[00:52:41.264 – 00:52:44.204] AA’s not interested in whether I’m working or I’m not working.

[00:52:44.204 – 00:52:46.844] AA’s only interested in one thing, my attitude.

[00:52:46.844 – 00:52:48.844] That’s all.

[00:52:48.844 – 00:52:54.824] And you know, you talk about that, you know, I, I, I met a drunk somewhere up in Canada, and he reminded me of it.

[00:52:54.824 – 00:52:56.144] And he’s a sober member of AA.

[00:52:56.144 – 00:52:57.304] Come beating on my door.

[00:52:57.304 – 00:52:58.384] I met him at a group one night.

[00:52:58.384 – 00:52:59.304] He didn’t have a place to stay.

[00:52:59.304 – 00:53:01.644] And so I said, “Well, come on.

[00:53:01.644 – 00:53:04.744] The kids are gone, and, and then I’m just gracing myself.

[00:53:04.744 – 00:53:07.964] You can have this big bedroom,” and he’s there, and then he disappeared.

[00:53:07.964 – 00:53:14.824] And one night, I’m, I’m, there’s a knock on my door, and there’s two of Dallas’ finest standing there.

[00:53:14.824 – 00:53:24.944] Now, I’m going to tell you right now, I don’t care if they got a crew cut haircut, if they got a mustache, wearing white Lyle socks and Hush Puppies and smoking a pipe.

[00:53:24.944 – 00:53:27.724] A policeman is a policeman is a policeman.

[00:53:27.724 – 00:53:28.764] I don’t care anyway.

[00:53:28.764 – 00:53:29.744] And they’re built in.

[00:53:29.744 – 00:53:31.804] They’ve got an impediment when they’re born.

[00:53:31.804 – 00:53:34.404] You got to have this impediment to be a policeman.

[00:53:34.404 – 00:53:38.244] They’re born with their right hand tucked in, and it comes out like that.

[00:53:38.244 – 00:53:42.584] And there’s their picture and their badge and their names and their weight and everything.

[00:53:42.584 – 00:53:44.684] And the other one had a long piece of paper.

[00:53:44.684 – 00:53:50.664] And he said, “We’ve got a search warrant for your house, and we’re looking for somebody.” I said, “Well, he’s done gone.

[00:53:50.664 – 00:53:59.184] And he’s been gone, he’s been gone for about a half a week.” “Well, we’re going to search it anyway.” And I said, “Well, he left two boxes in the closet back there.

[00:53:59.184 – 00:54:09.184] They’re sealed, and I don’t know what there is.” They went back and opened up them boxes, and there were transistor, uh, radios, and there were watches and some jewelry and earrings

[00:54:09.184 – 00:54:10.244] and several other things.

[00:54:10.244 – 00:54:11.284] And you know of value.

[00:54:11.284 – 00:54:13.264] They, they, you know, hot merchandise.

[00:54:13.264 – 00:54:23.444] And he said, “What do you know about this?” And I said, “I don’t know nothing.” He says, “You sure you’re not one of his accomplices?” And I said, “Well, you’re going to have to go down to the jail.” So they put me in the back

[00:54:23.444 – 00:54:27.244] seat of the squad car with one of them, and I’m laughing all the way down to the jail.

[00:54:27.244 – 00:54:33.184] And we get down there, and they take me up before the night sergeant, and they, they bring all these boxes in.

[00:54:33.184 – 00:54:38.064] And they tell the night sergeant, desk sergeant, that, you know, about me and everything, yes.

[00:54:38.064 – 00:54:39.744] And he says, “Now, we’re going to leave him here.

[00:54:39.744 – 00:54:46.764] We’re going to take these boxes over to the police property room, and we’re going to inventory it and then get a release and leave it in there.

[00:54:46.764 – 00:54:56.944] And you take care of him.” And after they left, that night desk sergeant looked up at me, and he says, “Sponsor,

[00:54:56.944 – 00:55:06.964] when are you going to learn?” And that’s the reason I was laughing all the way down to jail because I knew, and he, and I already talked to

[00:55:06.964 – 00:55:07.344] him about it.

[00:55:07.344 – 00:55:17.554] He said, “Go on.” He said, “You’ll never learn.” He says, “You’ll never learn.” You know, but when acting on our own as individual members, an AA layman certainly shouldn’t award himself an honorary medical

[00:55:17.554 – 00:55:24.984] degree and hand out diagnosis of a, of, of prescriptions and, and, and analysis of other people’s sicknesses.

[00:55:24.984 – 00:55:34.984] Now, because this exact failure is so common in AA, the AA group, and who forms, uh,

[00:55:34.984 – 00:55:36.084] who composes an AA group?

[00:55:36.084 – 00:55:37.704] AA members.

[00:55:37.704 – 00:55:47.444] An AA group in all its dealings should be extra careful to emphasize that it is not invading the medical field.

[00:55:47.444 – 00:55:57.464] Through the personal experiences of our members, we are qualified to carry only one message, how an alcoholic can recover in

[00:55:57.464 – 00:55:58.023] AA.

[00:55:58.023 – 00:55:59.264] That’s all.

[00:55:59.264 – 00:56:05.844] And I’m going to share now with you an, uh, an actual experience, a very sad experience.

[00:56:05.844 – 00:56:13.904] There was a beautiful gal, beautiful gal, and when she was ten and a half, 11 years of age, she hit the streets.

[00:56:13.904 – 00:56:19.664] And she started drinking and smoking and shooting and snorting and rubbing.

[00:56:19.664 – 00:56:28.204] And she’d been in so many problems and in and out of correctional homes and everything else in her teens.

[00:56:28.204 – 00:56:32.724] And it got so bad that her family totally disowned her.

[00:56:32.724 – 00:56:36.056] She’s twenty-two years of age.

[00:56:36.056 – 00:56:38.776] She’s strung out on vodka and a bunch of other stuff.

[00:56:38.776 – 00:56:44.096] Driving one of them automobiles with a fiberglass body that’ll do a hundred and eighty standing still.

[00:56:44.096 – 00:56:48.836] Down one of them country roads, she missed the curve and hit a huge oak tree head-on.

[00:56:48.836 – 00:56:51.216] She didn’t have a seat belt on.

[00:56:51.216 – 00:56:52.376] She went right…

[00:56:52.376 – 00:57:00.616] Her head went right over that steering wheel, and her head went right through the windshield, and the top of her skull hit the trunk of that tree, and it crushed it, crushed her skull.

[00:57:00.616 – 00:57:10.636] And through some miracle, it didn’t kill her, but she underwent ex-extensive brain surgery, and she was in intensive care

[00:57:10.636 – 00:57:12.416] for many, many weeks, touch and go.

[00:57:12.416 – 00:57:16.316] And she was a total vegetable.

[00:57:16.316 – 00:57:19.416] No memory recall, nothing.

[00:57:19.416 – 00:57:27.216] They notified her parents, and her parents said that, “You do with her whatever you want to.

[00:57:27.216 – 00:57:28.936] We have no daughter,” and hung up.

[00:57:28.936 – 00:57:33.856] Well, after she’d been in the hospital about four months, they had to move her.

[00:57:33.856 – 00:57:43.336] So they got the county court to commit her for the rest of her life in the insane lock ward at the state mental hospital there in, near Dallas.

[00:57:43.336 – 00:57:53.656] Now, a lot of times in AA, kiddingly or seriously, we ridicule

[00:57:53.656 – 00:57:58.036] non-alcoholic professional people, physicians and psychiatrists.

[00:57:58.036 – 00:58:01.186] We blame them for getting us on Valium and all this.

[00:58:01.186 – 00:58:02.576] We’re the ones that hunted it.

[00:58:02.576 – 00:58:03.936] We’re the ones that went for it.

[00:58:03.936 – 00:58:05.006] We’re the ones that took it.

[00:58:05.006 – 00:58:14.996] But like I said before, as long as we can transfer the heat, we learn any good self-respectful alcoholic, as long as you can transfer the heat and get somebody else to believe it, you ain’t got no heat.

[00:58:14.996 – 00:58:22.456] And so as there was a Cuban refugee psychiatrist, somewhere along the line, he’d worked with a lot of alcoholics.

[00:58:22.456 – 00:58:32.496] And looking at this young lady’s past record, he began to suspicion, and then he began to confirm that she was

[00:58:32.496 – 00:58:33.156] an alcoholic.

[00:58:33.156 – 00:58:43.236] And if she was an alcoholic, even though her mental condition and physical condition was such that if she were ever gonna have any possible chance to

[00:58:43.236 – 00:58:48.036] get a little bit better, she did not need to be in that lock ward with all them nuts.

[00:58:48.036 – 00:58:57.316] She needed to get the kind of medicine that only helps our kind, and we get it when we come to Alcoholics Anonymous, and that medicine is called love.

[00:58:57.316 – 00:58:59.516] Period.

[00:58:59.516 – 00:59:04.896] And I want to ask you right now, how can you love another member of AA when you hate them at the same time?

[00:59:04.896 – 00:59:06.196] There ain’t no way.

[00:59:06.196 – 00:59:16.956] And so he went over to the alcohol recovery unit there, the director over there, and he said, “Explain about this gal over there.”

[00:59:16.956 – 00:59:27.036] And he said, “When she gets a little bit better, can we move her over here where she needs to be, where she can get the kind of medicine she really needs?” And he says, “Sure.” She got better, and they moved her over to

[00:59:27.036 – 00:59:29.396] the alcohol recovery unit there at the hospital.

[00:59:29.396 – 00:59:37.836] And here come the gals that are sober in AA, bringing meetings, you know, and God, they got attached to her, and she attached to them.

[00:59:37.836 – 00:59:43.816] And they brought her some pantyhose, and she had totally no recall on how to wash her hair.

[00:59:43.816 – 00:59:52.836] They brought her to wash her hair again and a, and a hair blower, and she couldn’t even put on lipstick or eyeshadow or anything at all, and they helped her and everything else.

[00:59:52.836 – 00:59:54.116] And guess what?

[00:59:54.116 – 01:00:04.316] She started to talk, and the paralyzed side started to move, and she started to glow and develop

[01:00:04.316 – 01:00:05.796] like a beautiful flower.

[01:00:05.796 – 01:00:14.176] And God, she w- couldn’t wait for the ladies that were sober in AA to come to the meeting, and they couldn’t wait to get there to see her.

[01:00:14.176 – 01:00:20.916] And God, she got so good that, b- better and physically, and she was talking and walking and just everything.

[01:00:20.916 – 01:00:31.176] And so she, she got well enough to get a pass to go out on a weekend, provided she was with the gals, and they took her out, and they took her to meetings, and when they brought her back,

[01:00:31.176 – 01:00:41.396] she said, “If I ever get out of here, can I be a regular member of AA on the outside?” And they said, “Sure, honey, you betcha.” Well, the great day came

[01:00:41.396 – 01:00:43.056] when she could be released.

[01:00:43.056 – 01:00:53.176] And as long as she had two lady sponsors, in case one of them, you know what, either got incapacitated or be out of town,

[01:00:53.176 – 01:00:55.296] somebody be available and a place to live.

[01:00:55.296 – 01:00:58.866] And they got her a little bitty, uh, uh, garage apartment.

[01:00:58.866 – 01:01:06.236] And the next thing, she started going to AA meetings, and the next thing, she became s- uh, self-supporting through her own contributions with a job.

[01:01:06.236 – 01:01:16.336] And then the great night came when she sat in one of those closed AA group discussion meetings to where everybody in there is an expert

[01:01:16.336 – 01:01:17.796] about everything.

[01:01:17.796 – 01:01:25.616] And the topic of the c– of the meeting that night was, are you really sober if you’re taking medication?

[01:01:25.616 – 01:01:35.636] And it got around to her, and she started telling about the fact that because she had this massive brain damage, that

[01:01:35.636 – 01:01:45.936] for the rest of her life, if she was to walk in the free world, she had to take Dilantin and a mild dosage of phenobarbital, which is the standard medical

[01:01:45.936 – 01:01:56.136] diagnosis and prescription and usage for those who have seizures and convulsions, whether they be epileptic or whether it be traumatic

[01:01:56.136 – 01:01:58.316] brain surgery or a birth defect.

[01:01:58.316 – 01:02:08.636] The minute she said phenobarbital, three members of AA jumped up and literally took every inch of hide off of her, and they said, “You’re not sober.

[01:02:08.636 – 01:02:10.396] You’re not sober.

[01:02:10.396 – 01:02:18.136] You’re taking dope.” Well, after the meeting was over with, the little gal, AA was the only home she had.

[01:02:18.136 – 01:02:21.696] It’s the only people that loved her for what she was and who she was.

[01:02:21.696 – 01:02:30.176] Not knowing any different, thinking she’d be kicked out of AA, she went into the secretary’s office and asked if she could have her sobriety card.

[01:02:30.176 – 01:02:40.236] She erased her sobriety card and changed it to that day, went home, and flushed down all of her prescribed medication down the commode, which she was not abusing and

[01:02:40.236 – 01:02:40.636] using.

[01:02:40.636 – 01:02:50.672] Three weeks later, she had a convulsion, the kind that honey and milk won’t stop, Gatorade and honey won’t

[01:02:50.672 – 01:02:54.332] stop, salt water won’t stop, and she died.

[01:02:54.332 – 01:03:04.332] Her gals, by their, uh, the lady, her lady sponsor called me and she said, “David, I called her parents, and

[01:03:04.332 – 01:03:06.412] they said that’s the greatest news they heard.

[01:03:06.412 – 01:03:16.492] Y’all can do with her whatever you want to.” She said, “What are we gonna do about a funeral and a plot?” And I said, “Don’t worry about it.” I said, “We’ve, we always

[01:03:16.492 – 01:03:19.132] manage to take care of our kind in A.A.

[01:03:19.132 – 01:03:21.972] There’ll be a place for her to be buried in a nice cemetery.

[01:03:21.972 – 01:03:32.072] Don’t worry about it.” She said, “What are we gonna do for pallbearers?” And I said, “I know three.” And coming back from the cemetery,

[01:03:32.072 – 01:03:36.192] one was five years sober at the time, one was three years sober at the time, and the other one was a year.

[01:03:36.192 – 01:03:46.452] Coming back from the cemetery, the one that was five years sober said, “Where did we go wrong?” And I just simply quoted word for word

[01:03:46.452 – 01:03:56.532] from the fifth tradition in our illustrated tradition pamphlet, which says this, that an A.A.

[01:03:56.532 – 01:04:06.652] group ought to be extra careful to emphasize that it is not invading the medical

[01:04:06.652 – 01:04:11.472] field, that we only have one purpose.

[01:04:11.472 – 01:04:18.592] Now, that is not an isolated case.

[01:04:18.592 – 01:04:19.452] It’s happening.

[01:04:19.452 – 01:04:22.922] You’d be surprised how much right this second in A.A.

[01:04:22.922 – 01:04:23.772] all over the world.

[01:04:23.772 – 01:04:33.672] And this is what I meant when I opened up and I said that opinions, in some instances, can physically kill people.

[01:04:33.672 – 01:04:37.392] We have no right to do that.

[01:04:37.392 – 01:04:39.532] We certainly don’t.

[01:04:39.532 – 01:04:43.332] And so this brings us to tradition six.

[01:04:43.332 – 01:04:43.712] An A.A.

[01:04:43.712 – 01:04:54.031] group ought never endorse, financially or in any name, any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.

[01:04:54.031 – 01:04:59.522] Now, tradition six through twelve keep an A.A.

[01:04:59.522 – 01:05:01.932] group intact as a result of tradition five.

[01:05:01.932 – 01:05:03.942] It allows an A.A.

[01:05:03.942 – 01:05:04.712] group to be an A.A.

[01:05:04.712 – 01:05:07.872] group and not get involved in property and prestige and in money.

[01:05:07.872 – 01:05:17.122] Not to get involved in collecting funds at a meeting and under the auspices as an open or whether it be a closed A.A.

[01:05:17.122 – 01:05:17.972] meeting.

[01:05:17.972 – 01:05:24.232] It allows every, every group so it doesn’t get involved.

[01:05:24.232 – 01:05:34.272] You will be surprised how many groups right this very second are involved in lawsuits, are involved in going to court

[01:05:34.272 – 01:05:44.062] with landlords as a result of an A.A.

[01:05:44.062 – 01:05:46.022] group becoming something else other than an A.A.

[01:05:46.022 – 01:05:46.372] group.

[01:05:46.372 – 01:05:49.942] Something other than an A.A.

[01:05:49.942 – 01:05:50.272] group.

[01:05:50.272 – 01:05:53.512] You know, in a lot of places, you don’t have to…

[01:05:53.512 – 01:06:01.462] If you go to a strange town or a strange area and in a shopping center somewhere else, you know, and you can’t, you don’t know the exact location of an A.A.

[01:06:01.462 – 01:06:03.412] group, all you gotta do is drive around.

[01:06:03.412 – 01:06:09.412] And where you see all the styrofoam cups out on the curb and on the sidewalk and cigarette butts, you know that’s it.

[01:06:09.412 – 01:06:10.732] Yeah.

[01:06:10.732 – 01:06:12.312] Oh, yeah.

[01:06:12.312 – 01:06:15.712] You know, it’s just like, you know, you go into a lot of A.A.

[01:06:15.712 – 01:06:18.312] groups, and they’re sitting there with their chin on their belly buttons.

[01:06:18.312 – 01:06:23.292] And everybody’s saying, “Oh, this is a bad day.” If somebody said, “Let’s go bowling,” “I can’t do it.

[01:06:23.292 – 01:06:24.152] I’m an alcoholic.

[01:06:24.152 – 01:06:26.472] Boo-hoo.” “Well, let’s go out here.

[01:06:26.472 – 01:06:27.862] Let’s go do this.” “Can’t do it.

[01:06:27.862 – 01:06:28.672] I’m an alcoholic.

[01:06:28.672 – 01:06:37.352] Boo-hoo.” And then they got guts enough to read, if you decide you want what we have and are willing to go to any length to get it, then you’re ready to take certain steps.

[01:06:37.352 – 01:06:38.012] You know what I mean?

[01:06:38.012 – 01:06:38.472] Yeah.

[01:06:38.472 – 01:06:39.552] You betcha.

[01:06:39.552 – 01:06:46.252] And so particularly, this tradition has to do with outside agencies dealing with alcoholism.

[01:06:46.252 – 01:06:46.762] The A.A.

[01:06:46.762 – 01:06:49.352] policy is cooperation and, but not affiliation.

[01:06:49.352 – 01:06:59.052] A group cooperates by welcoming referrals from hospitals, from recovery centers, from institutions, whether they be correctional or whatever they are.

[01:06:59.052 – 01:07:01.301] Now, an A.A.

[01:07:01.301 – 01:07:11.392] member employed in, uh, in, by outside agencies wears two hats, but tradition six cautions any such member against wearing two

[01:07:11.392 – 01:07:12.332] hats at the same time.

[01:07:12.332 – 01:07:15.212] It’s impossible for an alcoholic to wear two hats at the same time.

[01:07:15.212 – 01:07:16.372] But it’s very simple.

[01:07:16.372 – 01:07:17.512] We haven’t got but one head.

[01:07:17.512 – 01:07:21.042] On the job, he or she is an alcoholism-

[01:07:21.251 – 01:07:26.492] counselor, but he or she is not an AA counselor.

[01:07:26.492 – 01:07:33.972] There’s no such thing as an AA counselor, AA doctor, AA lawyer, AA banker, AA housewife, AA bum.

[01:07:33.972 – 01:07:36.891] They ain’t got but one kind of AA, and that’s a member.

[01:07:36.891 – 01:07:42.211] And what we do on the outside for our personal living is out there, but inside we’re all the same.

[01:07:42.211 – 01:07:48.461] We’re all spiritually ill, and we are here to grow one day at a time in the likeness and image of a Power greater than ourselves.

[01:07:48.461 – 01:07:58.711] And so today, we understand and accept the paradox that the more that AA sticks to its primary purpose, the greater will be its value for the alcoholic,

[01:07:58.711 – 01:08:00.871] not only today, but the alcoholic to come.

[01:08:00.871 – 01:08:06.912] And Tradition Seven, every AA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.

[01:08:06.912 – 01:08:11.671] There is not a tradition in the 12 traditions taking a bigger beating than this one.

[01:08:11.671 – 01:08:15.932] You know, we have to be practical.

[01:08:15.932 – 01:08:26.311] A group can hardly hold its regular meetings on a street corner, and an empty basket will not fill a coffee pot, nor

[01:08:26.311 – 01:08:27.471] will it pay the rent.

[01:08:27.471 – 01:08:32.032] As we become active in AA, we learn about our other necessities.

[01:08:32.032 – 01:08:34.631] Then our horizons broaden.

[01:08:34.631 – 01:08:36.752] What about that intergroup or central office?

[01:08:36.752 – 01:08:38.151] So many of us call for help.

[01:08:38.151 – 01:08:41.912] Phone companies do not give free service.

[01:08:41.912 – 01:08:50.811] God, they’re so thankful we’re sober and not calling the Ayatollah at two o’clock in the morning, or as a penguin bootlegger in the South Pole.

[01:08:50.811 – 01:08:52.091] God, they’re so great.

[01:08:52.091 – 01:08:55.270] And you know, I have a tremendous understanding with the phone company.

[01:08:55.270 – 01:09:00.131] As long as I pay my bill, they gave me the understanding that they’ll leave the service on.

[01:09:00.131 – 01:09:03.331] They won’t cut it off.

[01:09:03.331 – 01:09:06.271] And AA, uh, what about our general service office?

[01:09:06.271 – 01:09:09.851] What about our districts, and what about our areas, and what about our committees?

[01:09:09.851 – 01:09:19.952] AA activity is self-supporting or ought to be at all levels, and in every case, the responsibility comes right back to us as individual members because we are AA.

[01:09:19.952 – 01:09:25.542] Sometimes when we’re new, our contributions rattle rather than rustle.

[01:09:25.542 – 01:09:35.591] There are very, very few AA groups today that pass around coffee cans because, you know, it’s embarrassing if you sit there and somebody puts a dollar in, it goes down sly, you know, silently, and somebody puts

[01:09:35.591 – 01:09:38.761] a quarter in, it goes plunk, and everybody turns around.

[01:09:38.761 – 01:09:47.191] In the group I come into, I used to sit next to a member that was reputed to be one of the wealthiest people in that whole area, not just in AA.

[01:09:47.191 – 01:09:56.761] And, and I, and I’d, and I’d put my dollar in there, and I’d turn over there, and he’d reach in, and he’d get out one of them old snap purses that was wrapped around with about four rubber bands.

[01:09:56.761 – 01:10:02.011] And he’d take the rubber bands off, and he’d take that master snap and open it, and that opened up the others.

[01:10:02.011 – 01:10:08.391] Then he’d reach down there and run his hand in like he’s manipulating a puppet, and he’d bring out a quarter, and he’d put a quarter in there.

[01:10:08.391 – 01:10:11.332] And I’d look at that old son of a gun, you tight son of a gun.

[01:10:11.332 – 01:10:17.431] Here I am, fresh sober and working like the devil, and every day I’m putting a dollar in, and you got all that money.

[01:10:17.431 – 01:10:19.931] No wonder he’s a multimillionaire, putting in a quarter.

[01:10:19.931 – 01:10:22.131] And my sponsor saw my eyes one night.

[01:10:22.131 – 01:10:32.140] He says, “What’s wrong with you?” I said, “Your friend over there, that tight son of a gun, I’m putting in a dollar, and all he done is putting in quarters.” My sponsor looked at me, and he said, “Where did you get that dollar you put in that

[01:10:32.140 – 01:10:39.631] basket tonight?” I said, “I wrote another hot check.” He said, “That’s between you and him.

[01:10:39.631 – 01:10:46.122] That’s between you and him.” And as a result of it, you know, uh, uh, in, in…

[01:10:46.122 – 01:10:56.582] Back in the old days, you know, when our traditions came out, self-supporting through our own contributions, God, the news media, and everybody, the irresponsible

[01:10:56.582 – 01:11:02.811] had become responsible by making one of its traditional principles of self-support.

[01:11:02.811 – 01:11:07.771] Now we, we, we, yes, we know when you’re new in AA that you don’t have any money.

[01:11:07.771 – 01:11:08.611] This is true.

[01:11:08.611 – 01:11:18.700] But, but it is participation, whether it be a penny, whether it be a nickel, whether it be a quarter, whether

[01:11:18.700 – 01:11:19.351] it be a dollar.

[01:11:19.351 – 01:11:24.032] It’s participation, a part of the whole.

[01:11:24.032 – 01:11:28.891] You know, groups have tried every way in this God’s world to raise money.

[01:11:28.891 – 01:11:29.311] I have…

[01:11:29.311 – 01:11:34.311] One of the best ways is stay sober and go get a job and distribute it evenly.

[01:11:34.311 – 01:11:35.452] Now, that helps.

[01:11:35.452 – 01:11:36.992] Yeah.

[01:11:36.992 – 01:11:42.532] Back in that one town, and, well, I ain’t gonna mention the town because George knows where it is.

[01:11:42.532 – 01:11:47.492] They used to have a upstairs poker game.

[01:11:47.492 – 01:11:51.912] They used to go twenty-four hours a day, and they’d have a member that take…

[01:11:51.912 – 01:11:53.941] cut out the pot, pay the bills.

[01:11:53.941 – 01:11:54.771] But they had one deal.

[01:11:54.771 – 01:11:55.672] They had one rule.

[01:11:55.672 – 01:11:58.870] If you left the room, your seat was vacant.

[01:11:58.870 – 01:12:01.752] Well, they had one problem.

[01:12:01.752 – 01:12:03.832] They always had a bunch of sweaters sweating the game.

[01:12:03.832 – 01:12:04.872] They had another problem.

[01:12:04.872 – 01:12:11.672] They didn’t have any lavatory facilities in the room, and so you had to go out of the room to go to the lavatory.

[01:12:11.672 – 01:12:14.372] Well, the drunks ain’t no fools.

[01:12:14.372 – 01:12:17.072] They just opened up the windows and made their own lavatories.

[01:12:17.072 – 01:12:18.792] But the neighbors got awful upset.

[01:12:18.792 – 01:12:19.771] Trees were dying.

[01:12:19.771 – 01:12:21.551] Grass was turning a different color.

[01:12:21.551 – 01:12:27.492] And so one night, and then, and so they got tired of that, so they called the police, and they raided them.

[01:12:27.492 – 01:12:36.851] And so they hauled them all down to the jail and down to court, and they got a bunch of lawyers in AA, and they went down there and told the judge, said, “Well, you know, after all, it’s harmless.

[01:12:36.851 – 01:12:38.912] They ain’t bothering nobody.

[01:12:38.912 – 01:12:39.752] And they’re sober.

[01:12:39.752 – 01:12:41.971] What do you want to do, let them run on the street loose?

[01:12:41.971 – 01:12:52.091] But we promise you, if you’ll just drop all the charges and let them go, we promise you they’ll never do it again.” Well,

[01:12:52.091 – 01:12:54.511] they had a state AA convention in that town.

[01:12:54.511 – 01:12:59.351] And you know the usual PI blurb when they have a state AA convention.

[01:12:59.351 – 01:13:09.431] You know they’re going to have so many alcoholics coming, got all these chicken circuit riders coming from everywhere, going to spread this great message of AA and everything else, and how many Al-Anons and Alateens, and

[01:13:09.431 – 01:13:19.452] how many members of AA, and what percentage are women and what percentage are men, and how many are under twenty-five and how many are over forty-five, and the great impact AA has had, you know.

[01:13:19.452 – 01:13:26.712] And then, and just a little blurb, not more than, what, four or five inches high in this one column wide.

[01:13:26.712 – 01:13:36.895] Well, Sunday morning- When everybody went to hear the final spiritual talk, there on the front page of that newspaper were these

[01:13:36.895 – 01:13:47.294] words in type the size that Japan bombs Pearl Harbor were these words, “Texas Rangers raid AA group for gambling.”

[01:13:47.296 – 01:13:48.716] Now, I’m gonna ask you a question.

[01:13:48.716 – 01:13:59.176] You have just come back from Las Vegas, and you have brought the family black sheep back home that’s been out there drunk,

[01:13:59.176 – 01:14:09.195] blown all the jewels and all the money, and is a chronic alcoholic and been that way, and you brought him all the way back, and the family’s tried everything in God’s world, treatment centers, goony

[01:14:09.195 – 01:14:15.855] roosts, everything in this world, shock treatment, beating them knees with rubber mallets and all that other stuff.

[01:14:15.855 – 01:14:25.855] You got him in the back room and somebody has suggested, “Why don’t you call Alcoholics Anonymous?” And you’ve got the number, and

[01:14:25.855 – 01:14:35.855] you’re getting ready to dial them, and you pick up the newspaper, and you see these headlines, Texas Rangers raid AA group for gambling,

[01:14:35.855 – 01:14:38.495] and you just brought one back that had been gambling.

[01:14:38.495 – 01:14:41.535] Would you call Alcoholics Anonymous?

[01:14:41.535 – 01:14:47.836] Would you call Alcoholics Anonymous?

[01:14:47.836 – 01:14:49.416] The answer is rather obvious.

[01:14:49.416 – 01:14:53.055] The answer is rather obvious.

[01:14:53.055 – 01:15:03.155] When a group is properly informed and if there is adequate

[01:15:03.155 – 01:15:13.235] sponsorship in the group, I have not seen an AA group yet that wasn’t

[01:15:13.235 – 01:15:16.075] fully self-supporting through its own contribution.

[01:15:16.075 – 01:15:24.136] I have not seen one yet that’s fully self-supporting through their own contribution.

[01:15:24.136 – 01:15:26.735] They don’t keep a lot of money.

[01:15:26.735 – 01:15:27.676] They empty it out.

[01:15:27.676 – 01:15:34.176] You see, God provides as long as we’re willing to let God do it.

[01:15:34.176 – 01:15:39.015] But when we begin to manipulate, it ain’t gonna happen.

[01:15:39.015 – 01:15:45.855] Tradition eight, Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.

[01:15:45.855 – 01:15:50.195] Spiritual as it is, AA remains very much of this world.

[01:15:50.195 – 01:15:56.765] They, like the seventh, focus on that vulgar word, that five-letter word that’s not mentioned in any tradition.

[01:15:56.765 – 01:15:58.716] That’s money, you know?

[01:15:58.716 – 01:16:10.756] However, when I, uh, when, when the word spread, sending thousands of alcoholics in search of AA, their

[01:16:10.756 – 01:16:16.176] first intergroups, you know, they were manned by volunteers, but today our work is too massive, too great.

[01:16:16.176 – 01:16:21.235] And so we may employ special workers.

[01:16:21.235 – 01:16:29.235] Our literature never would be prepared properly in our general service headquarters if we didn’t have the expertise to do it as a result of it.

[01:16:29.235 – 01:16:33.756] And consequently, it takes a lot of effort, and it takes a lot of work.

[01:16:33.756 – 01:16:43.796] Now, if you ask somebody to do a job in AA, you know, if they’re volunteering in something massive today in central offices and in the intergroups, there’s too– there’s a volume of

[01:16:43.796 – 01:16:44.515] too much work.

[01:16:44.515 – 01:16:45.575] Not in all of them.

[01:16:45.575 – 01:16:47.075] If they’re small, that’s another story.

[01:16:47.075 – 01:16:49.095] But when they get into large metropolitan areas.

[01:16:49.095 – 01:16:52.855] Now, you know, in AA, it, it, it’s just like outside, you know.

[01:16:52.855 – 01:16:58.975] If you expect somebody to do a job and it’s commensurate with any paying job on the outside, you’ve got to pay them wages.

[01:16:58.975 – 01:17:05.256] You have to remember, when you pay peanuts for wages, all you got’s a bunch of monkeys working for you.

[01:17:05.256 – 01:17:10.956] And as a result of it, you know, and if you pay them, you can fire them.

[01:17:10.956 – 01:17:14.916] You pay them, you can fire them.

[01:17:14.916 – 01:17:20.376] And particularly about our literature, it takes quite a while to do all this.

[01:17:20.376 – 01:17:27.376] Now, a lot of times, you know, we look at our literature, and you say, “That little piece of literature took two years.” Somebody said, “Wait a minute.

[01:17:27.376 – 01:17:28.765] What’s going on?

[01:17:28.765 – 01:17:29.155] Didn’t Dr.

[01:17:29.155 – 01:17:40.855] Bob say, ‘Let’s keep it simple?'” That’s the precise reason that our conference-approved literature has to have expertise attention because it expresses the simplicity

[01:17:40.855 – 01:17:41.716] of the fellowship.

[01:17:41.716 – 01:17:49.765] Unfortunately, too many of our literature racks are cluttered with non-AA literature, and this is what I believe Dr.

[01:17:49.765 – 01:17:59.916] Bob meant when he said, “Let’s keep it simple, and let’s don’t v- uh, louse it up with Freudian concepts that appeal to the scientific mind.” Tradition nine, AA

[01:17:59.916 – 01:18:09.315] as such, um, uh, uh, an AA group ought never be organized, but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.

[01:18:09.315 – 01:18:15.176] The words, “Let’s keep it simple,” are the last words that our co-founder Bill heard from his fellow co-founder, Dr.

[01:18:15.176 – 01:18:16.855] Bob, shortly before Dr.

[01:18:16.855 – 01:18:19.035] Bob’s death in nineteen fifty.

[01:18:19.035 – 01:18:22.395] The word it means our recovery program.

[01:18:22.395 – 01:18:32.595] You know, a non-member who is fami– who’s not familiar with, uh, with our, our b- or the way AA works might examine, for instance, AA practicing

[01:18:32.595 – 01:18:35.695] sponsorship and see it as a haphazard operation.

[01:18:35.695 – 01:18:39.136] That’s the reason it’s haphazard because you…

[01:18:39.136 – 01:18:39.916] It’s haphazard.

[01:18:39.916 – 01:18:45.836] You cannot sit down and formulate a definite policy that will work with every human being.

[01:18:45.836 – 01:18:48.395] It’s a touch and feel situation.

[01:18:48.395 – 01:18:52.836] Some you, some alcoholics you work with, you have to talk kind of quiet and nice to.

[01:18:52.836 – 01:18:54.416] Some you have to holler at a little bit.

[01:18:54.416 – 01:18:56.095] Some you have to cuss at.

[01:18:56.095 – 01:18:58.695] Some you have to get a baseball bat and beat them in the head.

[01:18:58.695 – 01:19:04.595] And so it’s a touch and feel situation, and it comes only by experience, you know, as a result of it.

[01:19:04.595 – 01:19:10.645] But in actions by groups, we find that we do need some degree of organization, you know?

[01:19:10.645 – 01:19:17.556] Because, uh, to get up the program, if there’s nobody to get up the program or anything else, what’s the result?

[01:19:17.556 – 01:19:20.115] No coffee, no answering the phone, no program.

[01:19:20.115 – 01:19:24.416] Now, you know, we hear it all the time in AA, I quit going to that group.

[01:19:24.416 – 01:19:30.825] So-and-so is either leading the meeting, taking up the money, sharing, getting everything done as the secretary, the treasurer, and everything else.

[01:19:30.825 – 01:19:32.615] Can’t get a word in edgewise.

[01:19:32.615 – 01:19:34.386] I’m not going to that group no more.

[01:19:34.386 – 01:19:38.303] Well, if that’s happening in your group and you want to eliminate it, it’s real simple.

[01:19:38.303 – 01:19:43.243] If you’re asked to do something in AA and you turn it down, don’t gripe at the ones that are doing it.

[01:19:43.243 – 01:19:53.423] Tradition 10, Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues.

[01:19:53.423 – 01:19:57.144] Hence, AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.

[01:19:57.144 – 01:20:02.144] You know, since AA began, AA has never been divided by a major controversial issue.

[01:20:02.144 – 01:20:12.352] By some deep instinct, we have known from the very beginning that no matter what the provocation, we must never publicly take sides and use the name Alcoholics

[01:20:12.352 – 01:20:13.163] Anonymous.

[01:20:13.163 – 01:20:22.633] The Washingtonian Society, a movement among alcoholics, was started in Baltimore over a century and some odd years ago, almost discovered the answer to alcoholism.

[01:20:22.633 – 01:20:25.904] And at first, it was composed strictly of alcoholics.

[01:20:25.904 – 01:20:30.743] And they reached the 500,000 mark in just a few years.

[01:20:30.743 – 01:20:41.303] When I got sober in Alcoholics Anonymous over 20 years ago, they estimate at that time there was only about 365,000, 375,000 members of Alcoholics Anonymous in the United States and Canada.

[01:20:41.303 – 01:20:44.783] But the Washingtonians had 500,000 in a couple of years.

[01:20:44.783 – 01:20:52.583] Now, had the Washingtonians stuck to their primary goal, they might have found the full answer.

[01:20:52.583 – 01:21:02.743] But instead, they permitted politicians and reformers, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, to use their society for their own purposes.

[01:21:02.743 – 01:21:05.314] They took violent sides on the slavery issue.

[01:21:05.314 – 01:21:08.833] Some of them became temperance crusaders.

[01:21:08.833 – 01:21:12.923] Now, ain’t that something for a sober member of Alcoholics Anonymous to become a temperance crusader?

[01:21:12.923 – 01:21:20.363] You know, the most nauseating alcoholic, that’s one of them self-righteous religious sober alcoholics.

[01:21:20.363 – 01:21:23.104] You know, to become a temperance crusader.

[01:21:23.104 – 01:21:26.283] Ours is a recovery program.

[01:21:26.283 – 01:21:28.383] Ours is for those who got her.

[01:21:28.383 – 01:21:30.944] And it ain’t like pregnancy.

[01:21:30.944 – 01:21:33.524] At the end of nine months, you can get another shot at it, you know.

[01:21:33.524 – 01:21:34.484] No.

[01:21:34.484 – 01:21:37.093] And what happened to the Washingtonians?

[01:21:37.093 – 01:21:40.003] They got involved in everything, politics and everything else.

[01:21:40.003 – 01:21:45.533] And within a very few years, they completely lost their effectiveness in helping alcoholics and the society collapsed.

[01:21:45.533 – 01:21:52.404] Now, they brought programs for alcoholics to help alcoholics over to this country on the Mayflower.

[01:21:52.404 – 01:21:56.852] They had them societies in the 1400s, 15, 16, 17, 18.

[01:21:56.852 – 01:22:01.743] But it was AA who took all of their mistakes.

[01:22:01.743 – 01:22:04.463] I kind of like what Alva Edison said, you know.

[01:22:04.463 – 01:22:07.583] They were congratulating him on being the world’s greatest inventor.

[01:22:07.583 – 01:22:09.984] And Alva Edison said, I never invented anything.

[01:22:09.984 – 01:22:14.283] All I have done is take other people’s mistakes and make them work.

[01:22:14.283 – 01:22:16.843] And this is all that Alcoholics Anonymous has done.

[01:22:16.843 – 01:22:22.484] It’s taken other people’s other recovery programs or other fellowships and just simply made them work.

[01:22:22.484 – 01:22:29.684] So we’re not incorporated as a legal instrument to attack anybody, no matter how severe the provocation.

[01:22:29.684 – 01:22:35.724] We believe that continuously since our beginning and today, AA is a fellowship and not an organization.

[01:22:35.724 – 01:22:41.524] Because we believe that a spiritual faith and a way of life cannot be incorporated.

[01:22:41.524 – 01:22:51.703] And AA can and will survive so long as it remains a spiritual faith and a way of life open to all alcoholics who suffer

[01:22:51.703 – 01:22:52.663] from alcoholism.

[01:22:52.663 – 01:22:56.604] And as a result of no controversy at the public level.

[01:22:56.604 – 01:22:59.363] Now, traditional level.

[01:22:59.363 – 01:23:03.824] Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion.

[01:23:03.824 – 01:23:08.644] We need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and film.

[01:23:08.644 – 01:23:14.293] The word TV has not been added or put on this tradition.

[01:23:14.293 – 01:23:24.404] For those of you who may not know, in order to change a period, a comma, or a word in

[01:23:24.404 – 01:23:34.423] any of the 12 steps, 12 traditions, and now since it’s now a legal part of the bylaws General Service

[01:23:34.423 – 01:23:44.963] Board, the 12 concepts, three-fourths of all the AA groups in the entire world

[01:23:44.963 – 01:23:49.224] that are listed in our directory have to be notified and vote on it.

[01:23:49.224 – 01:23:59.264] And a minimum time of at least not less than six months before anything can be added or

[01:23:59.264 – 01:23:59.923] taken away.

[01:23:59.923 – 01:24:04.144] And then it has to be three-fourths majority.

[01:24:04.144 – 01:24:11.003] Which pretty well ensures that our recovery program and the wording in our traditions

← Back to Speaker Collection