The First Tradition

Unity: A condition of harmony or accord.

"Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends on A.A. unity."  Tradition One (Ed. Note: One, the first number, the number that kicks things off, leading one to believe that it's an important concept.)

"The A.A. member . . . learns that the clamor of desires and ambitions within him must be silenced whenever these could damage the group.  It becomes plain that the group must survive or the individual will not.  At the outset, how best to live and work together as groups became the prime question.  In the world about us we saw personalities destroying whole peoples.  If strong people were stalemated in the search for peace and harmony, what was to become of our erratic band of alcoholics?"  12&12 P. 130.

One of my A.A. friends - who shall remain nameless because he takes far too much childish pleasure in seeing his name in this inconsequential blog - suggested yesterday that I dig a little deeper and analyze what's really going on with my Keep It Complicated fury and how I can channel this emotional energy in a positive direction.  Part of this fury is connected to my belief that - for the first time in my A.A. career - politics and social issues are intruding in the rooms.  While people aren't generally talking about controversial matters directly and openly there are other ways to make their beliefs known without vocalizing them.  Wearing a mask or not wearing one, for instance.  The break-away group is populated with people who are conservative and mask wearing has been spotty at best.  To me this is a statement.  Nobody has to say: "I think masks are bullshit."  The fact that they're not wearing them in defiance of several laws (at the time) spoke loud and clear.  What would any of us have done as newcomers if we walked into our first meeting and everyone was wearing a cap supporting whichever candidate you found offensive?  Gets dicey right quick.

And off I go on a rant . . .  See how easy it is?  I think Willie's point was that I should try to figure out how I can contribute to group unity instead of hardening my position and furthering any fractures.  A.A. has been through a few wars and the massive social upheaval of the '60s and a huge Communism scare and god knows how many other upsets and yet it still thrives today.  For me, at this moment, the breakaway assholes are frustrating me and I'm the asshole frustrating the people who have remained.  I don't feel like I'm adding much of benefit to either group . . . thus my low-key approach to meeting attendance at the moment.  I'm being careful to stay very connected to my recovery just not at too many meetings right now.

And here's the flip side . . . .  what is my responsibility as a dude with long-term sobriety? My belief is that my experience over the years has given me the status to speak up in situations that might be daunting for a newer person or one more timid and less confident.   Willie likes to tell the story of an old-timer poking him in the chest once and saying: "You know what good A.A. is - and when you see something that isn't good A.A. you have a responsibility to speak up." 

 Frankly, the anecdote sounds made up but it's so good I have to repeat it.