It is with great sadness that I have decided to let go of being a part of AA General Service. It used to be a great place to try out the Traditions and the Concepts, but no more. Now it is simply a who’s who and a bunch of politics while those with more stamina and charisma pound out the will of the innocent principle seekers. I can’t do it.
Sponsoring – I hopefully will always sponsor.
A Homegroup – I hopefully will have a homegroup and be able to do service in it – coffee maker, treasurer, etc.
Service in the Community – I would hope that our homegroup would have a service position in the community, however, as our community becomes more and more specialized I have found that has not been working well lately. Our group got kicked out of one facility that we were bringing a meeting in to because the facility did not like our message. They wanted us to support clients in talking about their “issues” and “trauma” and we kept the focus on alcoholism – in other words, to violate the 3rd Tradition and to affiliate, not cooperate.
Later we got a commitment at church that had a homeless shelter downstairs. We went there for about 3 months and only saw one person. The homeless folks just went there for a shower and food and shelter, but did not want to get sober. This leads me to consider possibly doing some other kind of community service and suggesting that to my sponsees.
I might suggest that they be GSR and go to District, and even go to the Assembly – to see others from around the Area, but I am not going to recommend they put to much energy into listening to the Delegate or news from New York. Those people are on their own path and besides, the Delegate cannot re-present us – that is a violation of Natural Law. It might have seemed to work in the past, but now that everyone and everything is so immoral, most of the Delegates have no clue about the Traditions.
GSO does not even send out complete background material before the Conference because they are suggesting that the Delegates show up ignorant of the issues so they are not biased. That is the most ridiculous idea that has have ever been put forth, but the Delegates are buying it – again out of ignore-ance and probably sloth – no one wants to really read the Background Material.
Only the West Central Region has a preconference Assembly where their delegates gather with their GSRs and go through the Conference Agenda. This is just a war between tyranny and slavery. I want no part of it.
In the future I could see working in a soup kitchen or food bank as a form of service I might have to do.
We shall see.
Anonymous Alcoholics 