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[00:00:00.380 – 00:00:00.820] Thank you.

[00:00:00.820 – 00:00:03.660] Hi, everybody.

[00:00:03.660 – 00:00:05.280] My name is David A., and I’m an alcoholic.

[00:00:05.280 – 00:00:06.390] Hey, David.

[00:00:06.390 – 00:00:06.740] Yeah.

[00:00:06.740 – 00:00:13.040] Well, you know, I’ve been asked to share now the, the 12 Concepts of World Service.

[00:00:13.040 – 00:00:19.500] And you have to remember, though, though it’s combined with the service manual, it originally was…

[00:00:19.500 – 00:00:22.959] The service manual used to be called the Third Legacy Manual.

[00:00:22.959 – 00:00:26.600] And the 12 Concepts are not a part of the Third Legacy.

[00:00:26.600 – 00:00:34.480] The Third Legacy is the authorization and the, uh, and the creation, the formation of, uh, the General Service Conference.

[00:00:34.480 – 00:00:44.760] And they were written later, and Bill wrote these, uh, uh, concepts because a lot of things that

[00:00:44.760 – 00:00:54.880] the General Service Office and the Board of Trustees were doing evolved over a period of time, and nothing had ever been put in writing.

[00:00:54.880 – 00:00:58.420] And as a result, uh, he wanted to…

[00:00:58.420 – 00:01:08.540] So the fellowship can see a lot of things that’s happened as far as, uh, a level of which most members maybe, um,

[00:01:08.540 – 00:01:13.400] uh, will never get interested in, but we hope that many of you will, because I’ll tell you why.

[00:01:13.400 – 00:01:19.100] It’s from, from the group, from the members of Alcoholics Anonymous have come our, our leaders.

[00:01:19.100 – 00:01:27.430] And you’ve got one concept in there, trad- uh, Concept 9, that perhaps you’ll find some of the finest writings that’s ever been written about Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:01:27.430 – 00:01:38.060] And so the 12 Concepts of World Service, uh, the concepts very carefully delineate those important traditions, customs, and relationships,

[00:01:38.060 – 00:01:47.360] and local arrangements that weld the General Service Board into a working harmony with its primary committees and with its corporate and active service world.

[00:01:47.360 – 00:01:48.520] And they agree by…

[00:01:48.520 – 00:01:52.320] Now, th- this doesn’t, it really, it is not as threatening as it sounds.

[00:01:52.320 – 00:01:59.180] Because a lot, you know, a lot to, a lot of members of A.A., reading the concepts like reading the Yellow Pages in the phone book.

[00:01:59.180 – 00:02:00.880] It’s about that much thrilling, you know?

[00:02:00.880 – 00:02:05.300] And, and i- ideas like the following pervade the concept.

[00:02:05.300 – 00:02:09.220] No group or individual should be set in unqualified authority over another.

[00:02:09.220 – 00:02:19.380] Large, active, and dissimilar operations should be separately, uh, uh, uh, should be separately incorporated and managed,

[00:02:19.380 – 00:02:22.780] each with its own staff, equipment, and working, uh, capital.

[00:02:22.780 – 00:02:29.560] We ought to avoid undue concentration of money or personal influence in the service group or entity.

[00:02:29.560 – 00:02:36.460] At each level of service, authority should be equal to responsibility.

[00:02:36.460 – 00:02:46.000] Double-headed executiveness and direction should be avoided.

[00:02:46.000 – 00:02:56.120] These and other similar provisions define the working relations that can be friendly, yet efficient, and yet they can restrain our tendency to concentrate money

[00:02:56.120 – 00:03:06.120] and power, uh, this being nearly always the underlying causes of our alcoholism and

[00:03:06.120 – 00:03:11.400] also our motivation of our recurrent passion for the consolidation of our service entities.

[00:03:11.400 – 00:03:18.560] Right now, there seems to be some move afoot about to consolidate our services, but the most of the members of A.A.

[00:03:18.560 – 00:03:22.100] that want to do it really don’t understand our structure.

[00:03:22.100 – 00:03:29.220] And because in order to do that, you have to change up all the legal things, and you have to remember that A.A.

[00:03:29.220 – 00:03:30.540] operates in this world.

[00:03:30.540 – 00:03:33.580] And A.A., and I, I haven’t had time, but I will, A.A.

[00:03:33.580 – 00:03:41.960] has been given special dispensation by the most feared government agency that there is, and that’s the Internal Revenue Service.

[00:03:41.960 – 00:03:47.100] And this was done in 1943 when they had nothing to go by.

[00:03:47.100 – 00:03:52.380] And we, uh, and, and as a result, a lot of members do not realize this.

[00:03:52.380 – 00:03:56.500] Uh, so we’re gonna, I’m gonna use the short forms of the concept.

[00:03:56.500 – 00:03:59.990] Concept one, final responsibility and ultimate authority for A.A.

[00:03:59.990 – 00:04:03.600] World Service should always reside in the collective conscience of the groups.

[00:04:03.600 – 00:04:04.870] In other words, A.A.

[00:04:04.870 – 00:04:07.800] groups today, we own Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:04:07.800 – 00:04:08.540] It’s ours.

[00:04:08.540 – 00:04:18.899] And we hold the ultimate responsibility for final authority for our world services and those special elements of overall service activity

[00:04:18.899 – 00:04:22.390] which makes it possible for our society to function as a whole.

[00:04:22.390 – 00:04:25.870] This is the reason why A.A.

[00:04:25.870 – 00:04:36.060] groups need to be fully informed by someone in the group that we are a part of something that’s not just, just meets

[00:04:36.060 – 00:04:38.860] in this lo- in this local little old room, meeting room.

[00:04:38.860 – 00:04:41.700] No, we’re part of a great whole.

[00:04:41.700 – 00:04:46.460] And all this didn’t come about by just waking up and having it happen.

[00:04:46.460 – 00:04:52.520] A lot of people, uh, uh, for some reason or other, and it’s not the inventory taking, they criticize service.

[00:04:52.520 – 00:04:59.400] And the reason they do is because they’re not willing to go through the discipline in order to get to that level.

[00:04:59.400 – 00:05:07.420] And I’ll tell you right now, service will enhance one’s spiritual being more than anything else that I know of because it keeps us busy.

[00:05:07.420 – 00:05:12.200] It keeps us cognizant of our central focus in life as a human being.

[00:05:12.200 – 00:05:16.700] For, and the, the groups assumed that responsibility at the St.

[00:05:16.700 – 00:05:20.170] Louis International Convention in 1955.

[00:05:20.170 – 00:05:22.340] It was there on behalf of Dr.

[00:05:22.340 – 00:05:31.900] Bob and the trustees and old-time leaders that Bill made the transfer of World Service response to, to the entire fellowship, not to just a handful of people.

[00:05:31.900 – 00:05:38.790] This came about as a result of the stark necessity, for the fact had to be faced that A.A.

[00:05:38.790 – 00:05:40.080] founders were perishable.

[00:05:40.080 – 00:05:44.890] Thus, who would then be the link to suggest and advise our trustees?

[00:05:44.890 – 00:05:47.200] So the gap had to be filled.

[00:05:47.200 – 00:05:51.640] And when Bill turned it over, he said something.

[00:05:51.640 – 00:05:53.440] “Guard it well.

[00:05:53.440 – 00:06:01.480] Guard it well.” These were other reasons for this basic shift of ultimate responsibility and authority.

[00:06:01.480 – 00:06:03.932] to AA as a whole.

[00:06:03.932 – 00:06:08.492] All these reasons, here it comes, evolve around Tradition Two.

[00:06:08.492 – 00:06:15.292] For our group purpose, there is but one ultimate authority, a loving God, as He may express Himself in our group conscience.

[00:06:15.292 – 00:06:17.292] Our leaders are but trusted servants.

[00:06:17.292 – 00:06:18.612] They do not govern.

[00:06:18.612 – 00:06:27.592] Tradition Two, like all the AA traditions, is a voice of experience based on trials of thousands of, of groups.

[00:06:27.592 – 00:06:30.992] The main principles of Tradition Two are inevitable.

[00:06:30.992 – 00:06:33.832] The AA groups are to be the final authority.

[00:06:33.832 – 00:06:38.012] Their leaders are to be entrusted with delegated responsibilities only.

[00:06:38.012 – 00:06:41.812] We delegate the responsibility, and if they don’t fulfill the respon…

[00:06:41.812 – 00:06:44.642] It’s no different than you delegate your group secretary.

[00:06:44.642 – 00:06:48.012] It’s no different than you delegate your group program chairman.

[00:06:48.012 – 00:06:52.732] It’s no different if you delegate your treasurer.

[00:06:52.732 – 00:07:00.972] But if you’re gonna delegate them, then allow them the freedom to either do the job or make mistakes, one of the two.

[00:07:00.972 – 00:07:11.032] That’s one of the biggest problems that we have right now because you have to remember that members of Alcoholics Anonymous, when we go through the 12 steps, we are the

[00:07:11.032 – 00:07:13.492] most selfish people in this God’s world.

[00:07:13.492 – 00:07:16.372] That’s the reason they call it a selfish program.

[00:07:16.372 – 00:07:18.392] The new ones don’t understand it.

[00:07:18.392 – 00:07:20.892] We become very, very selfish.

[00:07:20.892 – 00:07:29.412] And also, if you’ve got a, a, an AA group and you got 150 members, you got 150 dictators.

[00:07:29.412 – 00:07:34.712] And no group, and no, no dictator wants to be a second-class dictator, you know?

[00:07:34.712 – 00:07:40.372] We have to ke- uppermost keep an open in our uppermost consciousness, our fellowship.

[00:07:40.372 – 00:07:41.482] What is it?

[00:07:41.482 – 00:07:51.912] It’s a spiritualized society characterized by enough enlightenment, enough responsibility, and enough love of man and God to ensure that our democracy

[00:07:51.912 – 00:07:55.192] of world service will work under all conditions.

[00:07:55.192 – 00:08:04.572] And that is a precise reason that we can rely on Tradition Two, our group conscience, and its trusted servants, because God never lets us down.

[00:08:04.572 – 00:08:06.932] God’s perfect, and God works.

[00:08:06.932 – 00:08:08.892] That’s the reason for it.

[00:08:08.892 – 00:08:18.912] And you’ve never, y- no one has ever come up with God’s first name or middle name or last name, and no

[00:08:18.912 – 00:08:20.572] one has ever seen God’s face.

[00:08:20.572 – 00:08:24.452] That’s perfect anonymity.

[00:08:24.452 – 00:08:28.872] That’s the reason it’s so perfect.

[00:08:28.872 – 00:08:40.112] You see, it’s how I describe how I believe His f- God’s face look, and

[00:08:40.112 – 00:08:43.512] it’s what I think of God, and it’s what just individually.

[00:08:43.512 – 00:08:45.252] That’s what makes it so great.

[00:08:45.252 – 00:08:55.312] And happily for us, there seems little prospect of a spir- uh, spiritual calamity in AA because the life of each

[00:08:55.312 – 00:09:00.832] individual and of each group is built around our 12 steps and our 12 traditions.

[00:09:00.832 – 00:09:11.542] We, we very well know the penalty for extensive disobedience to these principles is death for the individual- …

[00:09:11.542 – 00:09:14.112] dissolution of the group.

[00:09:14.112 – 00:09:23.912] An even greater force for AA’s unity is a compelling love that we have for our fellow members and for the principles for which our lives today are founded.

[00:09:23.912 – 00:09:26.032] See, it’s very interesting.

[00:09:26.032 – 00:09:36.332] The 12 traditions were written to ensure the 12 steps would always be open for alcoholics, and

[00:09:36.332 – 00:09:45.392] now the 12 concepts are written to be sure that all of our service responsibilities will be carried out.

[00:09:45.392 – 00:09:47.392] And it’s utterly amazing.

[00:09:47.392 – 00:09:57.802] In AA, it’s the only place where you can talk about legal incorporations, and you can talk about money, and you talk about God at the same time, particularly

[00:09:57.802 – 00:09:58.292] the money.

[00:09:58.292 – 00:10:03.572] But it’s the proper use of all of those things that’s so important.

[00:10:03.572 – 00:10:13.772] Concept two, our general service c- for the general service conference for AA has become, for every practical purpose, the active voice

[00:10:13.772 – 00:10:18.452] and the effective conscience of our whole society in its world affairs.

[00:10:18.452 – 00:10:28.512] Since the ultimate responsibility and authority for AA world service belongs to the AA group, we are responsible for

[00:10:28.512 – 00:10:29.452] our services.

[00:10:29.452 – 00:10:32.372] We are responsible for the authority.

[00:10:32.372 – 00:10:35.452] We have the authority because we got the money.

[00:10:35.452 – 00:10:37.432] That’s number one.

[00:10:37.432 – 00:10:42.312] And we got the members, and we’ve got the things that are necessary.

[00:10:42.312 – 00:10:45.392] We can shut her down if we want to.

[00:10:45.392 – 00:10:52.772] But when we do, we have to take into consideration what’s gonna happen to our lives.

[00:10:52.772 – 00:11:00.232] And so the ult- since the ultimate authority and responsibility of, for AA works belongs to AA groups, why?

[00:11:00.232 – 00:11:01.712] It’s not hard to understand.

[00:11:01.712 – 00:11:05.332] The ultimate authority as a individual member of AA is what?

[00:11:05.332 – 00:11:06.872] God is understanding.

[00:11:06.872 – 00:11:13.532] The ultimate authority in an AA group is a loving God, as He may express Himself in a group conscience.

[00:11:13.532 – 00:11:19.792] So all it is is a multiplication of the individuals to the two to the four to the 10 to the million and a half.

[00:11:19.792 – 00:11:24.231] And so the AA members sca…

[00:11:24.231 – 00:11:34.952] And, and, in other words, it’s rather obvious that, that God knows 75,000 AA members, uh, uh, se- over, over 100,000 AA groups,

[00:11:34.952 – 00:11:43.712] uh, in the world and over two million AA members scattered all over the world cannot of ourselves actually imagine conduct our world services.

[00:11:43.712 – 00:11:50.652] I don’t know if you realize that there are over 40,000 AA groups that are not even listed, yet they call themselves AA group.

[00:11:50.652 – 00:11:51.672] We don’t hear from them.

[00:11:51.672 – 00:11:56.332] They don’t contribute anything, yet they get the same services that any group does.

[00:11:56.332 – 00:12:00.432] We let their conscience bother them.

[00:12:00.432 – 00:12:03.692] That’s what AA is all about.

[00:12:03.692 – 00:12:05.412] I talked about it earlier.

[00:12:05.412 – 00:12:15.596] Sure, the group conscience and the needed monies are out there, and the power of the groups and the members to change our world service structure, to criticize its operation

[00:12:15.596 – 00:12:16.996] is virtually supreme.

[00:12:16.996 – 00:12:20.116] And don’t kid yourself, they really do criticize it.

[00:12:20.116 – 00:12:29.336] I was just at a, at a regional forum that, honest to God, I’ve been in firefights with the Marine Corps against them, the other folks that we were shooting at.

[00:12:29.336 – 00:12:35.176] That, our firefights were mild compared to where we were, and they weren’t even using bullets down there in Tulsa.

[00:12:35.176 – 00:12:36.956] God, it was ugly.

[00:12:36.956 – 00:12:38.656] And, and I like it.

[00:12:38.656 – 00:12:48.136] A is the only place in the world where you can criticize everything and everybody in it, and nobody calls a 911 number, and nobody calls somebody with a butterfly net.

[00:12:48.136 – 00:12:52.876] And nobody calls somebody, the police, and say, “I got him,” or the SWAT team comes in here.

[00:12:52.876 – 00:12:53.316] Uh-uh.

[00:12:53.316 – 00:12:54.236] Uh-uh.

[00:12:54.236 – 00:12:56.896] You can stalk out of here just mad as a devil.

[00:12:56.896 – 00:12:57.896] Well, where are you going?

[00:12:57.896 – 00:12:59.566] You hear it all the time in there.

[00:12:59.566 – 00:13:02.476] If they’d have talked about God my first AA meeting, I’d have left.

[00:13:02.476 – 00:13:03.876] Well, where you go- where you gonna go?

[00:13:03.876 – 00:13:06.716] Where you going?

[00:13:06.716 – 00:13:07.596] Yeah.

[00:13:07.596 – 00:13:16.236] And so sure, the group of, uh, conscience and the needed monies are out there, and the power of the groups and members to change our…

[00:13:16.236 – 00:13:17.056] You’re darn right.

[00:13:17.056 – 00:13:28.096] For we have the final responsibility and authority that there is because it’s ours, and it belongs to no one e- That’s the reason why you gotta be darn careful who you ask

[00:13:28.096 – 00:13:28.816] to serve.

[00:13:28.816 – 00:13:38.856] So in order to avoid confusion and to function in simplicity of service, the groups have delegated complete administrative and operational

[00:13:38.856 – 00:13:41.496] authority to their conference and its service arm.

[00:13:41.496 – 00:13:45.406] We can’t all run up there and go to New York, a million and seven of them.

[00:13:45.406 – 00:13:49.976] God, it would scare them, them Zulus up there as it is, you know?

[00:13:49.976 – 00:13:51.876] So we can’t do that.

[00:13:51.876 – 00:13:54.796] We gotta stay here and work, some of us.

[00:13:54.796 – 00:14:01.456] We’ve got to stay here and become citizens in this world and become human beings in the world of reality, you know?

[00:14:01.456 – 00:14:03.336] And as Bill and Dr.

[00:14:03.336 – 00:14:09.396] Bob early in AA had found necessary to delegate a large part of their active authority to the trustees.

[00:14:09.396 – 00:14:11.016] You see, Dr.

[00:14:11.016 – 00:14:20.996] Bob delegated to Bill the responsibility to write our steps, to write our traditions, to write those things.

[00:14:20.996 – 00:14:25.656] Bill, in turn, delegated Dr.

[00:14:25.656 – 00:14:27.296] Bob the one thing that Dr.

[00:14:27.296 – 00:14:28.636] Bob was so comfortable.

[00:14:28.636 – 00:14:29.146] Dr.

[00:14:29.146 – 00:14:33.956] Bob was the master 12-stepper in Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:14:33.956 – 00:14:43.996] He 12-stepped over 5,000 alcoholics in the 15 years that he

[00:14:43.996 – 00:14:47.336] was sober and never took one penny.

[00:14:47.336 – 00:14:49.796] Never took a penny.

[00:14:49.796 – 00:14:55.676] There has been no one in AA that has 12-stepped that many alcoholics.

[00:14:55.676 – 00:14:59.936] I’m talking about really 12-stepped, getting down on their knees and taking the seventh step.

[00:14:59.936 – 00:15:01.736] You betcha.

[00:15:01.736 – 00:15:03.416] And the third step.

[00:15:03.416 – 00:15:13.896] And so, as a result, the general service conference A plus any later formed sections has become, for nearly every practical

[00:15:13.896 – 00:15:20.576] purpose, the active voice and the effective conscience of our whole society in its world affairs.

[00:15:20.576 – 00:15:30.716] The reasons for this, this vesting of responsibility as a result of finding out that an ultimate authority and responsibility lies in the AA groups

[00:15:30.716 – 00:15:36.316] for world service is that if all that there was to it, it wouldn’t amount to a darn thing.

[00:15:36.316 – 00:15:38.576] Nothing could be accomplished on that basis.

[00:15:38.576 – 00:15:48.616] So in order to be effective, to get effective action, the groups have delegated the actual operational authority to

[00:15:48.616 – 00:15:54.296] chosen service representatives who are fully empowered to speak and act for them.

[00:15:54.296 – 00:16:04.396] The group conscience of AA could not be heard unless a properly chosen conference, a properly chosen district,

[00:16:04.396 – 00:16:06.456] believe it or not, anything in AA.

[00:16:06.456 – 00:16:07.716] Yeah.

[00:16:07.716 – 00:16:18.996] And I’ll tell you right now, the group conscience of this group or any other group could not be heard unless

[00:16:18.996 – 00:16:28.076] it was willing to keep an open mind, allowing the trusted servants of the group to operate as trusted servants.

[00:16:28.076 – 00:16:30.735] And if you don’t trust them, don’t elect them.

[00:16:30.735 – 00:16:34.516] And if you do, keep your mouth shut.

[00:16:34.516 – 00:16:39.036] Because in AA, you get just what you vote for.

[00:16:39.036 – 00:16:41.355] I don’t care any way you want to look at it.

[00:16:41.355 – 00:16:42.396] Yeah.

[00:16:42.396 – 00:16:46.516] You elect a dog, he’s go- you got a member that’s gonna bark all the time.

[00:16:46.516 – 00:16:48.176] That’s all.

[00:16:48.176 – 00:16:53.156] You go, you elect a skunk, you got a member that’s gonna stink all the time.

[00:16:53.156 – 00:16:56.326] You get just what you, you get just what…

[00:16:56.326 – 00:17:06.966] But most of them say, “Well, let’s just get it over with, you know, and let’s go watch the Monday Night Football game.” Well, I’ll tell you right now, the Monday Night Football game has had a poorer record of keeping drunks sober than anything’s been on television,

[00:17:06.966 – 00:17:07.236] you know.

[00:17:07.236 – 00:17:17.296] Hence, the principle of amply delegated authority and responsibility trusted service must be implicit from the top to the bottom of our active

[00:17:17.296 – 00:17:18.076] service structure.

[00:17:18.076 – 00:17:22.456] This is a clear implication of tradition two, tradition three.

[00:17:22.456 – 00:17:32.716] To ensure effective leadership, we should endow each element of the conference, the general service board, and its service corporation staff committee

[00:17:32.716 – 00:17:36.016] executives with a traditional right of decision.

[00:17:36.016 – 00:17:41.136] Well, this works very well in the group level.

[00:17:41.136 – 00:17:51.296] Now, if you’ve got your group trusted servants, and they have a, whether you got a group chairman or whatever

[00:17:51.296 – 00:18:01.476] you got, and they have a trusted servants meeting, they have to have the freedom to decide on what they need to do or

[00:18:01.476 – 00:18:03.756] else bring back to the group to vote on.

[00:18:03.756 – 00:18:12.036] And a lot, if, if you’ve got a bunch of weak leaders, they’re always calling what they call group conscience meetings.

[00:18:12.036 – 00:18:20.592] Well, group conscience meetings, they call them group conscience meetings now, but it used to be just plain old business meetings ’cause nine out of 10 times, you’re gonna talk about money.

[00:18:20.592 – 00:18:22.612] You’re gonna talk about spending it.

[00:18:22.612 – 00:18:23.912] You’re gonna talk about giving it away.

[00:18:23.912 – 00:18:24.952] You’re gonna talk about moving.

[00:18:24.952 – 00:18:26.692] You’re gonna talk about this or that.

[00:18:26.692 – 00:18:32.592] And here again, the working example of tradition two, our leaders are but trusted servants.

[00:18:32.592 – 00:18:33.492] They do not govern.

[00:18:33.492 – 00:18:43.612] We ought to trust our world service, for within the framework of their general responsibility, we ought to trust our group service in the framework of their general responsibility,

[00:18:43.612 – 00:18:49.711] whatever they be defined by charter, resolution, advisory action, or custom or tradition.

[00:18:49.711 – 00:18:59.712] It should be the traditional right of all world service boards, committees, executives to decide which problems they will dispose of themselves and upon which matters

[00:18:59.712 – 00:19:03.732] they will report, consult, and ask specific directions.

[00:19:03.732 – 00:19:11.692] If we do not trust our servants and world servants, then no effective leadership can be possible.

[00:19:11.692 – 00:19:21.752] Now, as a result of concepts one and two, fortified and powered by tradition two, the General Service Conference and the General Service Board

[00:19:21.752 – 00:19:31.792] charters simply define the responsibility of the conference to act on behalf of AA as a whole, and these charters

[00:19:31.792 – 00:19:41.852] just simply, in a general way, describe the relations between the groups, the conference, the trustees, and our active service

[00:19:41.852 – 00:19:42.992] entities.

[00:19:42.992 – 00:19:46.632] Without the groups, the others could not operate.

[00:19:46.632 – 00:19:55.072] We are the power structure, that is, to degenerate what has to go up the line.

[00:19:55.072 – 00:20:01.572] And so without these definitions and descriptions, we couldn’t function.

[00:20:01.572 – 00:20:11.632] This concept just simply puts tradition two into action by allowing us to trust our responsible leaders to decide

[00:20:11.632 – 00:20:22.091] within the understood framework of their duties how they will interpret and apply their own authority and responsibilities to each particular problem or situation

[00:20:22.091 – 00:20:32.092] as it arises because there’ll always be plenty ultimate authority, uh, to correct inefficiency, ineffectiveness, or

[00:20:32.092 – 00:20:32.592] a- or abuse.

[00:20:32.592 – 00:20:38.912] If the conference doesn’t function well, the group can send better delegates.

[00:20:38.912 – 00:20:47.332] If the trustees get out of line, the conference can censure or criticize them, even reorganize them.

[00:20:47.332 – 00:20:54.532] If our headquarters services go haywire, the trustees can elect better directors and hire better help.

[00:20:54.532 – 00:21:04.932] Still, many areas are sometimes pardon me, tempted and sometimes still do to instruct their delegates exactly

[00:21:04.932 – 00:21:08.092] how to vote upon certain matters in the conference.

[00:21:08.092 – 00:21:08.772] I got it.

[00:21:08.772 – 00:21:09.052] Huh.

[00:21:09.052 – 00:21:15.332] Because they, they hold the responsibility of the ultimate authority.

[00:21:15.332 – 00:21:17.332] There is no doubt that the

[00:21:17.657 – 00:21:25.327] Groups have the right to do this, and if they insist, they can even give directives to their delegates to any and all A matters.

[00:21:25.327 – 00:21:35.337] But were the groups to carry their instructed delegates or instruction of delegates to extremes, then they would be proceeding on

[00:21:35.337 – 00:21:45.337] the false theory that group opinion in most world service matters would somehow be more superior to conference matters

[00:21:45.337 – 00:21:47.457] or opinion.

[00:21:47.457 – 00:21:54.717] And publicly speaking and practically speaking, this could almost never be the case.

[00:21:54.717 – 00:22:05.077] There would be very few questions indeed that instructed delegates could better settle than a conference acting on the spot with full facts and debate

[00:22:05.077 – 00:22:12.277] is always desirable, and particularly with the ultimate authority being a loving God working through the, the conference conscience.

[00:22:12.277 – 00:22:17.097] So it’s full consulting with committee members and general service representatives.

[00:22:17.097 – 00:22:27.257] The instructed delegate who cannot act on his own conscience in a final conference vote is not a trusted servant,

[00:22:27.257 – 00:22:29.197] is just a messenger boy.

[00:22:29.197 – 00:22:30.597] And you know what?

[00:22:30.597 – 00:22:32.717] A messenger boy is always hunting a tip.

[00:22:32.717 – 00:22:42.317] There is no way in the world that an effective delegate or effective GSR or a DCN can operate if he’s told what to do, how to do it all the time.

[00:22:42.317 – 00:22:45.176] Let the one that’s doing the how to do it, tell them, let him do it.

[00:22:45.176 – 00:22:46.977] You got to have…

[00:22:46.977 – 00:22:47.297] You got…

[00:22:47.297 – 00:22:51.277] A gives us the freedom to exercise our conscience.

[00:22:51.277 – 00:23:01.616] And when you’ve got them pulling on them like puppets, then that you’ve got a political machine, and that won’t work in Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:23:01.616 – 00:23:05.477] It, there’s some try, but it, it just wouldn’t operate.

[00:23:05.477 – 00:23:07.257] Sooner or later, it breaks down.

[00:23:07.257 – 00:23:17.397] And, uh, Con- Concept four, all responsible levels, we ought to maintain a traditional right of participation, allowing a voting representation in

[00:23:17.397 – 00:23:22.917] reasonable proportion to the responsibility each must, must discern.

[00:23:22.917 – 00:23:26.397] I don’t know how many of you realize that, that these crazy concepts are written backward.

[00:23:26.397 – 00:23:27.857] They certainly aren’t.

[00:23:27.857 – 00:23:28.837] No.

[00:23:28.837 – 00:23:34.177] Now, concept four is a right of participation.

[00:23:34.177 – 00:23:38.797] Concept three, before it, is a right of decision.

[00:23:38.797 – 00:23:45.777] How in the devil can you make a decision if you’re not free to participate?

[00:23:45.777 – 00:23:52.337] Then you’re always told what to do.

[00:23:52.337 – 00:23:54.577] These are written backward.

[00:23:54.577 – 00:23:56.137] In other words, participate.

[00:23:56.137 – 00:23:57.317] Now I know why, Bill.

[00:23:57.317 – 00:24:04.937] I know why Bill did it, because he’s talking about in the previous one about the instructed delegate.

[00:24:04.937 – 00:24:14.997] So that instructed delegate has the right to ma– to pr– to, to make a decision, but really can’t participate because somebody

[00:24:14.997 – 00:24:17.937] behind the scenes is doing his participation for him.

[00:24:17.937 – 00:24:23.757] Concept four, at all levels, we ought to maintain a t– right of participation.

[00:24:23.757 – 00:24:24.577] Yeah.

[00:24:24.577 – 00:24:30.677] Now, the principle of participation has been very carefully built into our conference structure.

[00:24:30.677 – 00:24:40.977] The conference char– charter, and particularly, and specifically provides that the trustees and the directors of our service corporation together

[00:24:40.977 – 00:24:46.917] with their effective executive staffs shall always be voting members of the general service conference.

[00:24:46.917 – 00:24:57.597] So it works on the group level just as well to where all the members of the group are free to vote, are free to participate.

[00:24:57.597 – 00:25:07.757] The saddest member of Alcoholics Anonymous is the one that feels that if they do participate or if they get up and say

[00:25:07.757 – 00:25:10.777] something, they’ll be criticized, that their…

[00:25:10.777 – 00:25:16.057] whoever they’re sponsoring won’t like them because they’re going against the popular opinion.

[00:25:16.057 – 00:25:19.437] They’re afraid they’re going to be asked to leave the group.

[00:25:19.437 – 00:25:29.677] A lot of times they are the most wonderful people to hear from because a group goes along, gets complacent, and doesn’t realize that there’s something boiling

[00:25:29.677 – 00:25:30.377] underneath.

[00:25:30.377 – 00:25:36.417] You see, a washing machine is not worth a darn unless it’s got an agitator in it.

[00:25:36.417 – 00:25:40.697] An agitator is what gets out the dirt.

[00:25:40.697 – 00:25:44.677] But the key is don’t let the agitator burn up the machine.

[00:25:44.677 – 00:25:48.737] That is the spiritual strength of Ag– Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:25:48.737 – 00:25:57.517] And so this business of participation has been very carefully delineated all through the structure from the group level on.

[00:25:57.517 – 00:26:05.837] If we’re not allowed to let God participate in our lives as an individual recovery member of Alcoholics Anonymous, what’s gonna happen to us?

[00:26:05.837 – 00:26:10.557] But we had to make the decision, didn’t we, to allow it to do it?

[00:26:10.557 – 00:26:12.737] Yeah.

[00:26:12.737 – 00:26:13.697] We…

[00:26:13.697 – 00:26:17.337] And until we open up and let this power greater than participate in our lives.

[00:26:17.337 – 00:26:23.137] And there’s no big deal to all this stuff unless you wanna make it because the principle…

[00:26:23.137 – 00:26:24.637] And, and I couldn’t tell you this.

[00:26:24.637 – 00:26:32.917] I’ve had a lot of experience on this particular level of service in Alcoholics Anonymous, and I don’t care to get into that phase of it.

[00:26:32.917 – 00:26:42.957] But, but, uh, uh, being as a, a, a former trustee on the general service board, a former trustee at large, USA, which that and a quarter won’t get you a cup

[00:26:42.957 – 00:26:43.207] of coffee.

[00:26:43.207 – 00:26:53.397] But having experience at this level, you see, this is the thing, and also as a former delegate and et cetera and et cetera, and an area chairman prior to that,

[00:26:53.397 – 00:26:58.537] DCM, GSR, alternate GSR, alternate DCM, and but the one…

[00:26:58.537 – 00:27:08.577] The greatest thing in the world that ever happened to me in Alcoholics Anonymous, other than being sober, other than having a God of my own, other

[00:27:08.577 – 00:27:20.097] than being able to work with people, was to be a delegate to the World Service Meeting for four years from countries

[00:27:20.097 – 00:27:22.557] from all over the world that have a general service structure.

[00:27:22.557 – 00:27:32.577] And so the principle of participation also applies to the directors of the General Service Board’s wholly active service

[00:27:32.577 – 00:27:36.777] corporations, as well as those who are appointed to the board’s standing committee.

[00:27:36.777 – 00:27:46.797] Now, one of the best reasons for participation, and basically really the only reason for participation, certainly has to do with our spiritual

[00:27:46.797 – 00:27:47.237] means.

[00:27:47.237 – 00:27:54.897] All of us deeply desire to belong, to be needed, to be wanted, to be loved.

[00:27:54.897 – 00:27:58.317] An AA relation of brotherly partnership.

[00:27:58.317 – 00:28:06.537] The paramount ideal of our spiritual corporations should never include any members who are regarded as second class.

[00:28:06.537 – 00:28:15.897] Thus, if we are to have no second class AAs, then neither should there be any second class world service workers.

[00:28:15.897 – 00:28:26.217] Thus, it encourages every one of us who serve AA to accept the necessary disciplines that our several jobs provide.

[00:28:26.217 – 00:28:32.217] Every member of Alcoholics Anonymous, whether we realize it or not, we serve Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:28:32.217 – 00:28:42.297] Maybe not in the category of the service structure, but we all serve Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:28:42.297 – 00:28:52.557] And our sobriety and our being is totally in proportion to the manner in which we give ourselves to serve.

[00:28:52.557 – 00:28:55.277] Nothing more, nothing less.

[00:28:55.277 – 00:29:04.077] And so thus it encourages every one of us who serve AA to accept the necessary disciplines that our several jobs require.

[00:29:04.077 – 00:29:08.517] This we can do when each of us is sure that we belong.

[00:29:08.517 – 00:29:14.917] No member of AA is comfortable until they know deep down inside that they belong.

[00:29:14.917 – 00:29:17.897] No member.

[00:29:17.897 – 00:29:28.157] And once we have that reality within us and it begins to live and it begins to throb and it begins to grow, then we say, yes,

[00:29:28.157 – 00:29:28.897] I am one.

[00:29:28.897 – 00:29:32.657] Just coming to meetings is good.

[00:29:32.657 – 00:29:39.277] Eventually, you either got to start doing something or leave, one of the two.

[00:29:39.277 – 00:29:49.317] But once we really feel we belong, once we have participated, we have led a meeting, we have maybe shared,

[00:29:49.317 – 00:29:54.757] we have made coffee, we have cleaned up, man, this is the greatest feeling in the world.

[00:29:54.757 – 00:29:55.917] Because why?

[00:29:55.917 – 00:29:58.837] That is deflation of ego in and out depth.

[00:29:58.837 – 00:30:00.037] Yeah.

[00:30:00.037 – 00:30:10.077] And because the participation, the principle assures us that we’re truly the trusted servants, as Tradition 2 suggests

[00:30:10.077 – 00:30:10.657] that we are.

[00:30:10.657 – 00:30:20.697] The preservation of the principle of participation in our service structure to those of us who already understand its application and benefit is a matter of highest

[00:30:20.697 – 00:30:22.397] importance to our future.

[00:30:22.397 – 00:30:24.937] I never will forget.

[00:30:24.937 – 00:30:33.197] I’m sitting at a trustees dinner only on a board weekend on a trustees weekend.

[00:30:33.197 – 00:30:36.117] And a lady addressed a letter.

[00:30:36.117 – 00:30:40.317] And Milton Maxwell at that time was chairman of the General Service Board.

[00:30:40.317 – 00:30:44.677] And this lady wrote this letter, a member of AA.

[00:30:44.677 – 00:30:52.457] And to some, it would seem to be so stupid and so silly and really to take up time.

[00:30:52.457 – 00:30:58.417] And she wrote it and she addressed it to the chairman of the General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:30:58.417 – 00:31:04.517] And Milton read the letter and a lot of them ridiculed it and made snide remarks about it.

[00:31:04.517 – 00:31:08.067] And Dr.

[00:31:08.067 – 00:31:15.677] Jack, who was also a former chairman of the General Service Board, Dr.

[00:31:15.677 – 00:31:16.377] Jack Norris.

[00:31:16.377 – 00:31:18.637] Dr.

[00:31:18.637 – 00:31:23.777] Jack Norris said, you young, smart punk drunks.

[00:31:23.777 – 00:31:33.937] He says every member of Alcoholics Anonymous, regardless, is entitled to an answer anytime

[00:31:33.937 – 00:31:34.937] they ask.

[00:31:34.937 – 00:31:38.257] And he is so correct.

[00:31:38.257 – 00:31:41.857] He is absolutely so correct.

[00:31:41.857 – 00:31:52.137] There is no reason for any question to go unanswered, regardless of how simple, regardless of how maybe

[00:31:52.137 – 00:31:55.777] stupid some people may think it is.

[00:31:55.777 – 00:31:58.397] But whoever asks the question, it’s real.

[00:31:58.397 – 00:32:00.157] Absolutely real.

[00:32:00.157 – 00:32:06.817] If we know we’ve got to treat each other that way, this is what you call the spiritual principles of participation.

[00:32:06.817 – 00:32:10.937] Sometimes we wish, by God, we’d get an axe and beat them in the head and run them off, don’t we?

[00:32:10.937 – 00:32:13.077] But no, no, no.

[00:32:13.077 – 00:32:14.437] There’ll be another one to show up.

[00:32:14.437 – 00:32:17.037] And sometimes worse.

[00:32:17.037 – 00:32:17.897] You know.

[00:32:17.897 – 00:32:23.617] So the whole key is answer them if we can.

[00:32:23.617 – 00:32:26.577] And if you can’t, take them to somebody that can.

[00:32:26.577 – 00:32:34.677] And so it is virtually important that we observe the traditional right of participation in the face of every tendency to whittle it down.

[00:32:34.677 – 00:32:40.137] Tradition six, the conference recognized that.

[00:32:40.137 – 00:32:41.537] Wait a minute, I missed one.

[00:32:41.537 – 00:32:41.957] Uh-oh.

[00:32:41.957 – 00:32:42.697] Yeah.

[00:32:42.697 – 00:32:47.857] Oh, I knew I wasn’t running into that one yet.

[00:32:47.857 – 00:32:58.097] Concept five, throughout our structure, a traditional right of appeal ought to prevail so that minority opinion will be heard and personal grievances receive

[00:32:58.097 – 00:33:00.717] careful consideration.

[00:33:00.717 – 00:33:03.837] You know, it says throughout our structure.

[00:33:03.837 – 00:33:06.477] It don’t say throughout just the general service board.

[00:33:06.477 – 00:33:08.137] Throughout our structure.

[00:33:08.137 – 00:33:19.357] This concept encourages all who have a minority feeling or thinking, whether

[00:33:19.357 – 00:33:29.376] in our staffs, committees, corporate boards, or among the trustees or the members of AA, their freedom to file a minority report whenever they feel a majority

[00:33:29.377 – 00:33:31.157] to be in considerable error.

[00:33:31.157 – 00:33:41.493] Particularly is this true when a minority considers an issue to be such a grave one that a mistaken decision could seriously affect AA

[00:33:41.493 – 00:33:42.313] as a whole.

[00:33:42.313 – 00:33:49.753] It should then charge itself with the actual duty of presenting a minority report to the conference.

[00:33:49.753 – 00:34:00.013] I wonder how many times in this or any other group that a member gets up and says, I know you’ve got a structured program tonight,

[00:34:00.013 – 00:34:04.593] but I’ve got to get up and say something to this group.

[00:34:04.593 – 00:34:07.133] I’m only going to take a minute or two.

[00:34:07.133 – 00:34:17.173] And how many of them will get up and say, I’m very uncomfortable with some of the things that are happening in this

[00:34:17.173 – 00:34:17.453] group.

[00:34:17.453 – 00:34:18.893] I’m a member of this group.

[00:34:18.893 – 00:34:22.333] I’m coming for my sobriety.

[00:34:22.333 – 00:34:30.173] But I’m very uncomfortable to see the spirit of the traditions being circumvented.

[00:34:30.173 – 00:34:35.332] And I just wanted you to know how I felt.

[00:34:35.332 – 00:34:38.853] And then thank you and sit down.

[00:34:38.853 – 00:34:48.873] And then there’s somebody sitting out in that audience out there, a member said, I thought I was the only

[00:34:48.873 – 00:34:51.333] one that felt that way.

[00:34:51.333 – 00:34:58.913] And then somebody else says, well, I thought I was the only one that felt that way.

[00:34:58.913 – 00:35:11.093] And so the group should always charge itself on no matter what level to

[00:35:11.093 – 00:35:21.233] see that at any time anything happens and the group does something to ask, is there anyone that would like to express a minority report, any of those

[00:35:21.233 – 00:35:22.613] who voted against it?

[00:35:22.613 – 00:35:26.893] And also to our general service conference.

[00:35:26.893 – 00:35:36.493] This concept permits any person in our service structure, whether paid or unpaid, to petition for the redress of a personal grievance.

[00:35:36.493 – 00:35:46.533] You know, if he or she so desires directly to the general service board, he or

[00:35:46.533 – 00:35:53.273] she should be able to do this without prejudice or fear or reprisal.

[00:35:53.273 – 00:36:03.433] In Alcoholics Anonymous, individual freedom, and I’ve talked a lot about it today, and I can’t still can’t talk enough about

[00:36:03.433 – 00:36:03.553] it.

[00:36:03.553 – 00:36:07.253] Individual freedom is of enormous importance.

[00:36:07.253 – 00:36:13.773] Freedom from alcohol, freedom from self, freedom from domination.

[00:36:13.773 – 00:36:22.153] Thus, this concept aims at the total problem of protecting and making the best possible use of minority feelings and opinions.

[00:36:22.153 – 00:36:28.033] We cannot take away the right of any alcoholic to belong to AA.

[00:36:28.033 – 00:36:33.993] Neither can we take the right away from any alcoholic who wants to leave AA.

[00:36:33.993 – 00:36:43.433] Neither do we have the right to force our members to believe anything, pay anything, or do anything.

[00:36:43.433 – 00:36:51.853] If they’re alcoholic, alcohol will tear them a new set of ears.

[00:36:51.853 – 00:36:53.273] Don’t worry about it.

[00:36:53.273 – 00:36:56.972] It’ll do the job thoroughly.

[00:36:56.972 – 00:37:05.333] This concept allows us the freedom to never be subjected to the tyranny of either the majority or the minority.

[00:37:05.333 – 00:37:10.273] And sometimes the majority can be more tyrannical than the minority.

[00:37:10.273 – 00:37:16.893] Nor can they provide it if we carefully define the relation between them.

[00:37:16.893 – 00:37:25.613] Thus, we can walk in the path of world service in the spirit of the 12 steps and in the spirit of the traditions.

[00:37:25.613 – 00:37:34.373] Because if we cannot walk in the spirit of the 12 steps and the 12 traditions, we’ll never be able to walk into the spirit of the 12 concepts.

[00:37:34.373 – 00:37:37.893] Never.

[00:37:37.893 – 00:37:39.253] Concept six.

[00:37:39.253 – 00:37:49.393] The conference recognizes the chief initiative and active responsibility in most world service matters should be exercised by the trustee members of the conference acting

[00:37:49.393 – 00:37:51.233] as a general service board.

[00:37:51.233 – 00:37:58.153] Now, I could talk a lot about that, but it has to do with only personal experience.

[00:37:58.153 – 00:38:08.433] This concept allows the conference to delegate a very liberal administrative authority to the general service board

[00:38:08.493 – 00:38:14.613] so that the trustees may act freely and effectively in the absence of the conference itself.

[00:38:14.613 – 00:38:24.773] Because a conference only meets for a week and next to the conference AA board of trustees should be the most influential group of world

[00:38:24.773 – 00:38:25.973] servants that we have.

[00:38:25.973 – 00:38:36.043] And therefore, we shall have to consider carefully the amount and degree of authority because responsibility and

[00:38:36.043 – 00:38:43.213] leadership and legal status that the trustees must possess in order to function at top effectiveness over the years to come.

[00:38:43.213 – 00:38:53.253] All in the world, this amounts to mean that you’re giving the trustees the leeway to fit within the traditions as long as they do not violate the legal laws of the

[00:38:53.253 – 00:38:53.733] land.

[00:38:53.733 – 00:38:55.913] That’s all.

[00:38:55.913 – 00:39:00.673] Because AA does live in this world, this real world.

[00:39:00.673 – 00:39:03.193] We have to live with the IRS.

[00:39:03.193 – 00:39:05.453] We have to live with all the government agencies.

[00:39:05.453 – 00:39:07.973] We have to live and conform to the laws of the land.

[00:39:07.973 – 00:39:17.993] And just because we come in here and get flushed, as I said, with this spiritual enema does not mean that we are immune to the things that other people have to shape

[00:39:17.993 – 00:39:19.253] up to, you know.

[00:39:19.253 – 00:39:26.733] If anything, it gives us the principles to live with the things that we never could shape up before like other peoples are shaping up.

[00:39:26.733 – 00:39:35.073] Next to the conference, the AA board of trustees should be the most influential group of world servants that we have.

[00:39:35.073 – 00:39:43.173] And therefore, we have to consider very carefully the amount and degree of authority, responsibility, leadership in order for them to function.

[00:39:43.173 – 00:39:47.613] Now, why should our trustees be given that wide latitude of judgment action?

[00:39:47.613 – 00:39:57.773] Very simply, for we AAs are holding them mainly responsible for all of our service activities, AA World Service In-Incorporated,

[00:39:57.773 – 00:40:02.373] including AA Publishing and the AA Grapevine.

[00:40:02.373 – 00:40:10.793] These entities, as of today, have gross ex-receipts in excess of anywhere between eleven and twelve million dollars.

[00:40:10.793 – 00:40:18.373] Now, that doesn’t sound like a lot of money to people who talk about hundreds of millions in savings and loan bank, but did you realize that’s a lot of money?

[00:40:18.373 – 00:40:25.713] You know where that ten and twelve and twelve million come, comes in dollar bills and half dollars and dimes and nickels and a lot of times in pennies.

[00:40:25.713 – 00:40:27.033] Yeah.

[00:40:27.033 – 00:40:28.553] Yeah.

[00:40:28.553 – 00:40:32.833] Because you see, that’s, that’s life-giving.

[00:40:32.833 – 00:40:34.933] You bet.

[00:40:34.933 – 00:40:41.813] And so the, the, the concept there are the, they are to expect to lead us in the formulation of AA policy.

[00:40:41.813 – 00:40:46.273] They must see to its proper execution.

[00:40:46.273 – 00:40:56.293] The trustees are active guardians of our twelve traditions, our twelve steps, and now our twelve concepts in short form, which has

[00:40:56.293 – 00:41:02.093] been added to their, uh, the bylaws general service board had to be amended to do that.

[00:41:02.093 – 00:41:05.593] The trustees are AA’s bankers.

[00:41:05.593 – 00:41:11.353] They are entirely responsible for the investment and use of our substantial reserve fund.

[00:41:11.353 – 00:41:18.053] From top to bottom, our whole service structure resembles that of a large corporation.

[00:41:18.053 – 00:41:19.913] The AA groups, we own it.

[00:41:19.913 – 00:41:21.273] We own all the stock in it.

[00:41:21.273 – 00:41:23.012] We’re the stockholders.

[00:41:23.012 – 00:41:30.813] The delegates, we, we elect a delegate as our representative at the annual meeting.

[00:41:30.813 – 00:41:40.793] And they vote, they vote our proxies for us at the annual meeting, and our general service board and trustees are, are actually the directors of a holding company.

[00:41:40.793 – 00:41:50.793] And this holding company, the general service board, actually owns and controls the subsidies, subsidiaries which carry

[00:41:50.793 – 00:41:52.553] on our active world services.

[00:41:52.553 – 00:42:01.193] So therefore, our trustees must be given large powers if they are to effectively manage the principal world affairs of Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:42:01.193 – 00:42:11.213] When I was elected, uh, to the board of, general service board of Al– as a trustee, before I could attend my first AA, uh, first board meeting, I

[00:42:11.213 – 00:42:21.773] had to sign a legal document in front of a notary that I would be individually and collectively responsible

[00:42:21.773 – 00:42:27.013] for all of the financial and policy integrity of Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:42:27.013 – 00:42:34.963] And it wasn’t too many years before

[00:42:37.853 – 00:42:39.813] That I couldn’t even be bonded.

[00:42:39.813 – 00:42:49.893] And so while the trustees must always operate, uh, it’s easy to criticize what’s going

[00:42:49.893 – 00:42:59.233] on in our general headquarters out in Hawaii, but the closer you get to it, the wronger you find out you have been.

[00:42:59.233 – 00:43:02.513] They do a tremendous job.

[00:43:02.513 – 00:43:11.413] Nobody can satisfy drunks, whether they be in AA or outside of AA.

[00:43:11.413 – 00:43:14.033] Nobody can satisfy.

[00:43:14.033 – 00:43:20.413] I don’t know a sure formula for success, but I’ll tell you one for total failure, try to please everybody.

[00:43:20.413 – 00:43:30.293] Always operate under the close observation, guidance, and sometimes direction of the conference.

[00:43:30.293 – 00:43:40.333] It is nevertheless true that nobody but the trustees and their wholly owned service corporations could possibly pass judgment upon and handle

[00:43:40.333 – 00:43:46.553] the very large number of transactions now involved in our total world service operation.

[00:43:46.553 – 00:43:56.773] And in view of this very large responsibility, they must be necess- they’re therefore given a correspondent large

[00:43:56.773 – 00:44:01.513] grant of authority and leadership with which to discharge their duties.

[00:44:01.513 – 00:44:10.713] It should be understood that the conduct of our world services is primarily a matter of policy and business.

[00:44:10.713 – 00:44:20.113] The policy is, the policy is established by the General Service Conference.

[00:44:20.113 – 00:44:24.573] The principles of business to some degree, too.

[00:44:24.573 – 00:44:34.653] But the board must operate its business, that is money, as with, to qualify and to live by the laws of the land,

[00:44:34.653 – 00:44:38.233] and it is incorporated as a not-for-profit tax-exempt.

[00:44:38.233 – 00:44:43.713] And AA is the only one that got a special dispensation from the Internal Revenue Service.

[00:44:43.713 – 00:44:51.253] It doesn’t operate like any other tax-exempt, not-for-profit in the world today, particularly in the United States.

[00:44:51.253 – 00:44:57.853] And the same laws of not-for-profit tax-exempt also are very similar in Canada, in Canada.

[00:44:57.853 – 00:45:04.213] Because it’s just the way it is, and AA has always enjoyed.

[00:45:04.213 – 00:45:11.693] Alcoholics Anonymous is audited every year or sometimes every two years.

[00:45:11.693 – 00:45:16.633] And so far, nothing’s ever been wrong.

[00:45:16.633 – 00:45:26.093] But we’ve got some things in the mail by some members who think they’re smarter than the United States government, that if they were allowed to be happen, they’d all be going to jail pretty quick.

[00:45:26.093 – 00:45:28.573] Yeah.

[00:45:28.573 – 00:45:30.473] Yeah.

[00:45:30.473 – 00:45:31.023] Mr.

[00:45:31.023 – 00:45:36.773] Mooney, who was then the Commissioner of Internal Revenue Service in Washington, DC, Bernard Smith.

[00:45:36.773 – 00:45:46.833] Bernard Smith, the architect of the, of the conference, when he was president of the old Alcoholic Foundation, he and a drunk by the name of

[00:45:46.833 – 00:45:56.573] Burrow S., member of AA, they went down to Washington to try to get a tax exempt because Works Publishing was paying taxes, and they owed a lot of money.

[00:45:56.573 – 00:45:58.533] And so Mr.

[00:45:58.533 – 00:46:06.553] Mooney said to them, “I have no precedent to go by to set what you want, but I tell you what you do.

[00:46:06.553 – 00:46:16.633] You go back to New York City, and you send me a letter telling me where you get your money, what you do with it, and what you

[00:46:16.633 – 00:46:27.353] do, what’s left over, what you do with what’s left over.” When he got it, he made, he wrote a special letter, specially making, at

[00:46:27.353 – 00:46:37.693] that time, our, our corporate board’s tax exempt, wrote to the letter to the director of the Internal Revenue Service

[00:46:37.693 – 00:46:41.153] in this, in New York City, where they are incorporated.

[00:46:41.153 – 00:46:45.933] And you know, AA has been operating that way ever since.

[00:46:45.933 – 00:46:53.993] It’s where we get where money, how we spend it, and what we do with what’s left over.

[00:46:53.993 – 00:46:55.693] Yeah.

[00:46:55.693 – 00:47:05.693] And while the trustees must always operate under the close observation and guidance, it should be understood that the conduct of our world

[00:47:05.693 – 00:47:10.913] service is primary, as I said before, and I cannot stress it, just policy and business.

[00:47:10.913 – 00:47:14.273] Us members, we set the policy.

[00:47:14.273 – 00:47:18.873] We basically set the business.

[00:47:18.873 – 00:47:28.913] All we’re doing is trusting them to carry it out in the integrity of the policy and financial integrity of

[00:47:28.913 – 00:47:29.973] Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:47:29.973 – 00:47:39.993] Of course, our objective is always a spiritual one, and as long as AA does things honestly, it

[00:47:39.993 – 00:47:41.533] is automatically spiritual.

[00:47:41.533 – 00:47:51.533] Of course, our objective is always a spiritual one, but this service aim can be achieved only by the means of an effective business

[00:47:51.533 – 00:47:52.173] operation.

[00:47:52.173 – 00:48:02.293] This is a reason that our trustees must function almost exactly like the directors of any large business corporation,

[00:48:02.293 – 00:48:08.153] for they must have the ample authority to really manage and conduct AA’s business.

[00:48:08.153 – 00:48:18.313] Concept seven, the charter and bylaws general service board are legal instruments empowering the trustees to manage

[00:48:18.313 – 00:48:21.153] and conduct our world service affairs.

[00:48:21.153 – 00:48:24.153] The conference charter is not a legal instrument.

[00:48:24.153 – 00:48:28.733] It relies upon tradition and the AA purse for final effectiveness.

[00:48:28.733 – 00:48:34.253] You know why that concept’s that way, that the conference is not a legal charter?

[00:48:34.253 – 00:48:40.545] So nobody can sue A as a whole.

[00:48:40.545 – 00:48:43.385] Simple.

[00:48:43.385 – 00:48:45.285] Real simple.

[00:48:45.285 – 00:48:47.925] Real simple.

[00:48:47.925 – 00:48:53.645] That’s the reason why before I went on the board, I had to sign for a legal document.

[00:48:53.645 – 00:48:55.425] Yeah, sure.

[00:48:55.425 – 00:49:03.665] Sure, all the charters and the bylaws of the, of the, of the General Service Board and the AWS and the Grapevine, sure, they’re legal.

[00:49:03.665 – 00:49:04.585] You’re darn right they are.

[00:49:04.585 – 00:49:05.945] But the conference charter isn’t.

[00:49:05.945 – 00:49:15.985] We now can see a bro– a, a board of trustees which is invested with complete legal power over A’s funds and services, and yet we find that the

[00:49:15.985 – 00:49:26.025] General Service Conference is closed with such great traditional influence and financial power that if necessary, it could overcome the legal rights of the board of trustees.

[00:49:26.025 – 00:49:32.005] It can therefore give the trustees directives and secure pli– compliance with them, practically speaking.

[00:49:32.005 – 00:49:42.125] This means that the practical power of the conference will nearly always be superior to the legal power of the trustees, which means that

[00:49:42.125 – 00:49:49.185] if the trustees are gonna carry out the conference deal, they’ve got to carry it out just like the conference suggests that it does.

[00:49:49.185 – 00:49:52.045] And what does– where does the conference business come from?

[00:49:52.045 – 00:49:57.305] It comes from your meeting of, as a result of your GSR who’s elected from your group.

[00:49:57.305 – 00:49:59.725] They meet with other GSRs in the district.

[00:49:59.725 – 00:50:01.405] They got a district committee member.

[00:50:01.405 – 00:50:05.465] Then they can have bi-district, tri-district, and then they go to the area assembly.

[00:50:05.465 – 00:50:15.125] And from the area assembly and the grassroots come topics for presentation and the workshops at General Service Conference, and then they present what they have to on the floor.

[00:50:15.125 – 00:50:18.725] There’s no reason for any member of A to be ignorant if something comes on.

[00:50:18.725 – 00:50:20.865] You’re gonna have you an area assembly.

[00:50:20.865 – 00:50:30.885] At that time, they will discuss all the items that will be discussed on the agenda, and they will ask for a sense of the meeting to see how these, this,

[00:50:30.885 – 00:50:36.285] this area, in other words, your northern coastal, to see how northern coastal feels in.

[00:50:36.285 – 00:50:38.025] You’re just one of ninety-four.

[00:50:38.025 – 00:50:42.765] And then they’ll– you go to the conference, and you go to the workshop, and they present.

[00:50:42.765 – 00:50:47.605] And how I’m in Northeast Texas area, that’s the, that’s the conference area that I am.

[00:50:47.605 – 00:50:48.605] Texas has four.

[00:50:48.605 – 00:50:50.045] California has five.

[00:50:50.045 – 00:50:58.605] California is the only one that has five because the largest bulk of membership since the middle fifties has always resided in Southern California.

[00:50:58.605 – 00:51:01.965] And, and it doesn’t go by geographical size.

[00:51:01.965 – 00:51:06.345] If that’s the case, then, then, uh, it doesn’t go by geographical size.

[00:51:06.345 – 00:51:09.245] If that’s the case, Canada would have a hundred delegates.

[00:51:09.245 – 00:51:14.505] Uh, uh, and so, you know, it goes by AA population, period.

[00:51:14.505 – 00:51:16.105] That’s how it is determined.

[00:51:16.105 – 00:51:26.105] And so, the, so in the years to come, if the conference always bear in mind the actual rights, duties, and responsibilities and legal status

[00:51:26.105 – 00:51:36.525] of our General Service Board, and if the trustees in their deliberation will constantly realize the conference is the real seat of ultimate service authority,

[00:51:36.525 – 00:51:42.865] we then may be sure that neither will be seriously tempted to make a rubber stamp out of each other.

[00:51:42.865 – 00:51:50.745] In this manner, grave issues can always be resolved, and harmonious cooperation will be the general rule.

[00:51:50.745 – 00:51:59.185] Concept eight: The trustees are the practical planners and administrators of our overall policy and finance.

[00:51:59.185 – 00:52:09.845] They have custodial oversight of the separately incorporated, constantly active services, exercising this through their ability to elect all the directors

[00:52:09.845 – 00:52:10.765] of their entities.

[00:52:10.765 – 00:52:18.215] Our trustees bear the primary responsibility for the good conduct of all of our world service affairs.

[00:52:18.215 – 00:52:26.985] And this concept deals with the basic concept and methods by which they can best discharge their obligations.

[00:52:26.985 – 00:52:29.185] You notice it says they elect their own directors.

[00:52:29.185 – 00:52:30.055] You darn right.

[00:52:30.055 – 00:52:31.425] It has to be done that way.

[00:52:31.425 – 00:52:34.365] Let me tell you the reason, and every drunk will understand this.

[00:52:34.365 – 00:52:41.945] You’re gonna serve on a convention committee of Alcoholics Anonymous, and you’re asked to be the host committee, or you’re asked to be whatever you want.

[00:52:41.945 – 00:52:45.345] Are you gonna take just any idiot that wants to go?

[00:52:45.345 – 00:52:52.445] Or do you feel that your little committee could work better if you got your babies and people that you know that will do the job?

[00:52:52.445 – 00:52:59.605] That’s the reason why our trustees have to elect their own directors, because they know who will and who won’t.

[00:52:59.605 – 00:53:03.005] The average member of Alcoholics Anonymous is totally ignorant in this matter.

[00:53:03.005 – 00:53:13.185] The board is expected to skillfully plan, manage, and execute almost exclusively to the larger and more serious questions of policy, finance, group

[00:53:13.185 – 00:53:16.165] relations, public relations, and leadership.

[00:53:16.165 – 00:53:24.025] Thus, the board cannot be burdened with the daily, weekly, and monthly questions and routine conduct of a world service.

[00:53:24.025 – 00:53:34.065] They discu– they dis- uh, discharge their custodial obligation by the electing of the director of these services, a

[00:53:34.065 – 00:53:36.305] part of whom must always be trustees.

[00:53:36.305 – 00:53:46.405] The, each entity should possess its own charter, its own working capital, its own executive, its own employers, its own

[00:53:46.405 – 00:53:50.625] office and equipment, except to mediate difficult situations.

[00:53:50.625 – 00:53:52.645] Because why?

[00:53:52.645 – 00:54:02.845] We cannot concentrate too much authority, and we cannot concentrate too much money in any one of the affiliates

[00:54:02.845 – 00:54:04.465] of Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:54:04.465 – 00:54:13.215] Concept ten: Good leadership at all levels is indispensable for the future functioning, uh, and safety.

[00:54:13.215 – 00:54:21.845] Primary world service leadership, once exercised by our founders, must necessarily be assigned to the trustees.

[00:54:21.845 – 00:54:31.065] Here in this particular concept is the finest writings that you will ever see about Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:54:31.065 – 00:54:41.105] And it was originally, this concept is nothing more than a article in which Bill published in The Grapevine in nineteen

[00:54:41.105 – 00:54:42.365] hundred and fifty-nine.

[00:54:42.365 – 00:54:51.701] The operative results in the structure can be no better than the personal performance of those who must manage and make it work.

[00:54:51.701 – 00:55:01.721] Good leadership cannot function well in a poorly designed structure, and a strong, and a weak leader cannot

[00:55:01.721 – 00:55:04.161] function in a strong structure.

[00:55:04.161 – 00:55:09.581] Leadership will always be a continuous problem in Alcoholics Anonymous.

[00:55:09.581 – 00:55:12.901] Good leadership can be here today and gone tomorrow.

[00:55:12.901 – 00:55:17.581] They can be, they may, they can be sober today and gone tomor- and drunk tomorrow.

[00:55:17.581 – 00:55:22.541] We must continuously find the right people for our many service jobs.

[00:55:22.541 – 00:55:25.061] And let me tell you, it starts right in the group.

[00:55:25.061 – 00:55:35.501] That is, the committee system is the finest and the most important spiritual we, principle that we’ve got in our service structure because it’s in the committee system that we uncover

[00:55:35.501 – 00:55:37.981] and discover the ones that are hot.

[00:55:37.981 – 00:55:47.131] And the ones that, that give you lip service are the ones that when they’re given a responsibility and say, “I’ll do it,” do it.

[00:55:47.131 – 00:55:51.661] This is how we uncover our future service leaders.

[00:55:51.661 – 00:55:56.641] And our, and our service structure is only good as its leadership.

[00:55:56.641 – 00:56:04.691] So we must continuously find the right people for our many service jobs.

[00:56:04.691 – 00:56:14.981] Now, the base of our service structure rests on the dedication and ability of the GSRs, the

[00:56:14.981 – 00:56:19.921] DCMs, area committees, and the conference delegates.

[00:56:19.921 – 00:56:29.921] When electing GSRs, not only GSRs, secretary, treasurer, programs director, but GSRs as far as service goes, the group should have

[00:56:29.921 – 00:56:31.881] these facts well in mind.

[00:56:31.881 – 00:56:42.021] A leader in AA service is therefore a man or a woman who can personally put principles, plans, and policies in such

[00:56:42.021 – 00:56:49.661] dedicated, effective action that the rest of us want to back them up and help him or her with a job.

[00:56:49.661 – 00:56:57.841] Good leadership originates plans, policies, and ideas for the improvement of our fellowship and its services.

[00:56:57.841 – 00:57:05.121] Good leadership will also remember that a fine plan or an idea can come from anybody, anywhere.

[00:57:05.121 – 00:57:15.221] Good leadership will often discard its own cherished, petty, selfish plans for others that are good, that

[00:57:15.221 – 00:57:18.341] are better, and it’ll give credit to the source.

[00:57:18.341 – 00:57:22.841] The following attributes are necessary for good leadership.

[00:57:22.841 – 00:57:32.480] They are tolerance, responsibility, flexibility, and vision exercised at all levels of the AA service.

[00:57:32.480 – 00:57:38.101] I suggest if you haven’t read anything at all, just read Concept Nine.

[00:57:38.101 – 00:57:47.401] Concept 10: Every service responsibility should be matched by an equal service authority, with the scope of such authority well defined.

[00:57:47.401 – 00:57:52.821] Now, the principle of ultimate authority runs all clear through our structure.

[00:57:52.821 – 00:57:54.561] And what is the ultimate authority?

[00:57:54.561 – 00:58:00.801] It’s nothing more than Tradition Two, ever reminding us that no matter, it’s a spiritualized society.

[00:58:00.801 – 00:58:11.061] This is necessary because all of our service affairs and activities have to head up somewhere, and final responsibility, ultimate authority, is always needed

[00:58:11.061 – 00:58:18.901] so that each worker, each classification of servant, each member knows where and who the final boss is.

[00:58:18.901 – 00:58:26.021] Therefore, ultimate authority has to be very carefully qualified by delegated authority.

[00:58:26.021 – 00:58:36.101] We have to be always sure there’s a bunch of abundance of final or ultimate authority to correct or to reorganize, but we have to be equally

[00:58:36.101 – 00:58:46.301] sure that all of our trusted servants have a clearly defined and adequate authority to do their daily work and to discharge their clear

[00:58:46.301 – 00:58:47.461] responsibilities.

[00:58:47.461 – 00:58:56.801] For God’s sakes, if you belong to an AA group, tell them what to do, tell them what’s expected, and then sit back and let it happen or let it not happen.

[00:58:56.801 – 00:58:58.501] And you can always change it.

[00:58:58.501 – 00:58:59.781] That’s all.

[00:58:59.781 – 00:59:04.921] And then go on about the business of working with drunks.

[00:59:04.921 – 00:59:14.241] Here we see Tradition Two, where the group conscious as the ultimate authority and the trusted servants, and the trusted servants is the delegated authority.

[00:59:14.241 – 00:59:18.281] See, a loving God is the ultimate authority.

[00:59:18.281 – 00:59:25.661] The trusted servant is a delegated authority, and neither one can function without each other in AA.

[00:59:25.661 – 00:59:35.661] Tradition 11, I mean Concept 11, the trustees should always have the best possible committees, corporate service directors, executives, staff,

[00:59:35.661 – 00:59:36.461] and consultants.

[00:59:36.461 – 00:59:42.681] Composition, qualification, induction procedures, and rights and duties will always be the matter of serious concern.

[00:59:42.681 – 00:59:50.581] If there is a breakdown any place, anywhere in our service structure from bottom to top, it has to do with the improper indoctrination of our servants.

[00:59:50.581 – 00:59:57.401] They say, “I’ll just read the manual and go.” Some can’t read.

[00:59:57.401 – 00:59:59.561] Some can’t hear.

[00:59:59.561 – 01:00:03.561] And the improper indoctrination has to be a third party.

[01:00:03.561 – 01:00:06.501] It has to be from those who have had service in that area.

[01:00:06.501 – 01:00:16.441] The long range and overall success of our general service board will rest not only in the capabilities of our trustees themselves.

[01:00:16.441 – 01:00:26.081] It depends upon, as much upon the competent leadership and harmonious association of those non-trustee committee members.

[01:00:26.081 – 01:00:36.261] Each trustee has, has, you know, uh, non-committee members, complete service directors, executive and staff members

[01:00:36.261 – 01:00:40.281] who must actively carry out the AA world services.

[01:00:40.281 – 01:00:46.881] Their quality and dedication, or their lack of it, will make or break our service structure.

[01:00:46.881 – 01:00:57.208] This concept is nothing more, just simply allows The 12 standing committees of the General Service Board, plus any two active

[01:00:57.208 – 01:01:05.289] service corporations, AAWS Incorporated and AW– and AA Grapevine Incorporated, to operate for the best interest of AA.

[01:01:05.289 – 01:01:08.909] And this brings us now to Concept 12.

[01:01:08.909 – 01:01:15.469] And Co-Concept 12 is nothing more than the warranties of the General Service Conference.

[01:01:15.469 – 01:01:25.589] The conference shall observe the spirit of AA tradition, taking care that it never becomes the seat of perilous wealth or power,

[01:01:25.589 – 01:01:36.229] that sufficient operating funds and reserve be its prudent financial principle, that it place none of its members in a position of unqualified authority over other,

[01:01:36.229 – 01:01:46.669] that it reach all important decisions by discussion and then vote, and whenever possible, a substantial unanimity, that its actions never be personally

[01:01:46.669 – 01:01:56.989] punitive nor an incitement to public controversy, that it never perform acts of government, and that like the society it serves, it will always remain

[01:01:56.989 – 01:02:00.009] democratic in thought and action.

[01:02:00.009 – 01:02:04.649] And this concept, as I said, consists of Article 12 of the Conference Charter.

[01:02:04.649 – 01:02:14.979] Any amendment or a cancellation of any of its vital warranties would require the written consent of three-quarters of all the directory-listed

[01:02:14.979 – 01:02:19.529] AA groups who would actually vote on any such proposal.

[01:02:19.529 – 01:02:24.089] And as I said before, the considerable time of six months is allowed for careful deliberation.

[01:02:24.089 – 01:02:31.989] It is probable that AA possesses more and greater freedom than any fellowship in the world today.

[01:02:31.989 – 01:02:42.629] We know that we have to personally choose conformity to AA’s 12 Steps and 12 Traditions, or else face dissolution and death,

[01:02:42.629 – 01:02:44.229] both as individuals and as group.

[01:02:44.229 – 01:02:51.629] Freedom under God to grow in His likeness and image will ever be the quest of Alcoholics Anonymous.

[01:02:51.629 – 01:02:57.589] And may our General Service Conference be always seen as the chief symbol of this cherished liberty.

[01:02:57.589 – 01:03:02.329] And it will be if the members of AA see that it does.

[01:03:02.329 – 01:03:12.329] To a new– to a member, we of AA believe that our freedom to serve is truly the freedom by which we live, the

[01:03:12.329 – 01:03:14.889] freedom in which we all have our being.

[01:03:14.889 – 01:03:15.349] Or as Dr.

[01:03:15.349 – 01:03:18.669] Bob said, that AA is nothing more than love and service.

[01:03:18.669 – 01:03:25.989] I wanna thank this group for allowing this alcoholic, a member of AA, to be here.

[01:03:25.989 – 01:03:29.509] Uh, well, it seems like it’s been weeks.

[01:03:29.509 – 01:03:36.489] Uh, and but y’all have given far more to me than, uh, than I’ve ever possibly given to you.

[01:03:36.489 – 01:03:43.659] And all I wanna tell each and every one is I love you very much, and just stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety.

[01:03:43.659 – 01:03:48.629] And tonight, at eight o’clock, I’m gonna tell the real story.

[01:03:48.629 – 01:03:50.129] Okay.

[01:03:50.129 – 01:03:51.109] Thank you very, very much.

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