Privacy Statement
We take Anonymity very seriously and respect the SA principles!
11th Tradition - "Our public relations policy is based
on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain
personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, films, and
TV." The information expressed on this website does not
necessarily reflect the position of sa.org
Confidentiality Clause
All participants each undertake and agree to:
(a) only use, copy or otherwise replicate the Confidential
Information for the purposes envisaged under this Agreement
and not to use the same for any other purpose whatsoever;
(b) ensure that only those of its trusted servants who are
directly concerned with the carrying out of this Agreement
have access to the Confidential Information on a strictly
applied "need to know" basis and are informed of
the secret and confidential nature of it;
(c) keep the Confidential Information secret and confidential
and shall not directly or indirectly disclose, publish, transfer,
disseminate, copy or permit to be disclosed the same to any
third party for any reason without the prior written consent
of the Disclosing Party.
AA 12 Traditions - Long Form*
1.) Each member of Alcoholics Anonymous is but a small part
of a great whole. A.A. must continue to live or most of use
will surely die. Hence our common welfare comes first. But
individual welfare follows close afterward.
2.) For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority-a
loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience.
3.) Our membership ought to include all who suffer from alcoholism.
Hence we may refuse none who wish to recover. Nor ought A.A.
membership ever depend upon money or conformity. Any two or
three alcoholics gathered together for sobriety may call themselves
an A.A. Group, provided that, as a group, they have no other
affiliation.
4.) With respect to its own affairs, each A.A. group should
be responsible to no other authority than its own conscience.
But when its plans concern the welfare of neighboring groups
also, those groups ought to be consulted. And no group, regional
committee, or individual should ever take any action that
might greatly affect A.A. as a whole without conferring with
the Trustees of the General Service Board. On such issues
our common welfare is paramount.
5.) Each Alcoholics Anonymous group ought to be a spiritual
entity having but one primary purpose-that of carrying its
message to the alcoholic who still suffers.
6.) Problems of money, property, and authority may easily
divert us from our primary spiritual aim. We think, therefore,
that any considerable property of genuine use to A.A. should
be separately incorporated and managed, thus dividing the
material from the spiritual. An A.A. group, as such, should
never go into business. Secondary aids to A.A., such as clubs
or hospitals which require much property or administration,
ought to be incorporated and so set apart that, if necessary,
they can be freely discarded by the groups. Hence such facilities
ought not to use the A.A. name. Their management should be
the sole responsibility of those people who financially support
them. For clubs, A.A. managers are usually preferred. But
hospitals, as well as other places of recuperation, ought
to be well outside A.A.-and medically supervised. While an
A.A. group may cooperate with anyone, such cooperation ought
never go so far as affiliation or endorsement, actual or implied.
An A.A. group can bind itself to no one.
7.) The A.A. groups themselves ought to be fully supported
by the voluntary contributions of their own members. We think
that each group should soon achieve this ideal; that any public
solicitation of funds using the name of Alcoholics Anonymous
is highly dangerous, whether by groups, clubs, hospitals,
or other outside agencies; that acceptance of large gifts
from any source, or of contributions carrying any obligation
whatever, is unwise. Then too, we view with much concern those
A.A. treasuries which continue, beyond prudent reserves, to
accumulate funds for no stated A.A. purpose. Experience has
often warned us that nothing can so surely destroy our spiritual
heritage as futile disputes over property, money, and authority.
8.) Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever non-professional.
We define professionalism as the occupation of counseling
alcoholics for fees or hire. But we may employ alcoholics
where they are going to perform those services for which we
may otherwise have to engage nonalcoholics. Such special services
may be well recompensed. But our usual A.A. "12th Step"
work is never to be paid for.
9.) Each A.A. group needs the least possible organization.
Rotating leadership is the best. The small group may elect
its Secretary, the large group its Rotating Committee, and
the groups of a large Metropolitan area their Central or Intergroup
Committee, which often employs a full-time Secretary. The
trustees of the General Service Board are, in effect, our
A.A. General Service Committee. They are the custodians of
our A.A. Tradition and the receivers of voluntary A.A. contributions
by which we maintain our A.A. General Service Office at New
York. They are authorized by the groups to handle our over-all
public relations and they guarantee the integrity of our principle
newspaper, "The A.A. Grapevine." All such representatives
are to be guided in the spirit of service, for true leaders
in A.A. are but trusted and experienced servants of the whole.
They derive no real authority from their titles; they do not
govern. Universal respect is the key to their usefulness.
10.) No A.A. group or member should ever, in such a way as
to implicate A.A., express any opinion on outside controversial
issues-particularly those of politics, alcohol reform, or
sectarian religion. The Alcoholics Anonymous groups oppose
no one. Concerning such matters they can express no views
whatever.
11.) Our relations with the general public should be characterized
by personal anonymity. We think A.A. ought to avoid sensational
advertising. Our names and pictures as A.A. members ought
not be broadcast, filmed, or publicly printed. Our public
relations should be guided by the principle of attraction
rather than promotion. There is never need to praise ourselves.
We feel it better to let our friends recommend us.
12.) And finally, we of Alcoholics Anonymous believe that
the principle of Anonymity has an immense spiritual significance.
It reminds us that we are to place principles before personalities;
that we are actually to practice a genuine humility. This
to the end that our great blessings may never spoil us; that
we shall forever live in thankful contemplation of Him who
presides over us all.
*Copyright © The A. A. Grapevine, Inc.,
and Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
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