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From the Delegate's Desk #9

from the DELEGATE’S DESK #9

Date:  September 1, 2010

To:     Mid-Southern California Area

From:  Linda C., Panel 60 Conference Delegate

Contact me:  delegatepanel60@msca09aa.org

RE:     Pacific Regional Forum Presentation

This is the five-minute presentation I made at the Pacific Regional Forum in Torrance on August 28, 2010.

 “The Internet is not going to wait for AA to decide what to do,” a young man declared recently at an AA workshop.  “Are we going to look squarely at the inevitability of emerging communication technology and prepare some spiritually relevant reference guidelines for ourselves?  Or are we going to be dragged along, kicking and screaming about how our traditions are being ignored, trivialized or dismissed?”

This topic is, I believe, primarily relevant in order to clarify the purpose and usefulness of anonymity for the fellowship and for our individual spiritual principles.  

As addressed in Tradition 11:  at the public level it seems best to remain personally anonymous for the welfare of the fellowship and the individual member.  Potential AA members may find the views of some individuals objectionable or repugnant, or hearing a news report about a DUI arrest of a proclaimed celebrity AA member can certainly affect the credibility of our whole program.   The threat to the individual is the possible effect that personal promotion may have on the ego of the promoter. 

Tradition 12, however, gets much closer to the bone and basically equates the “principle of anonymity” with the “principle of humility”. 

Now strictly speaking “anonymity” means No Name…that’s what it means.  But Bill W., (and various other spiritual leaders) associated the humility of anonymity with the essence of every aspect of our program.  He wrote extensively about the application of the “spirit of anonymity” in all our steps, traditions and concepts.  Therefore he and many of us have agreed that “anonymity has immense spiritual significance” and is not confined to the idea of not revealing our or each others’ names, personally or publicly.

Immense spiritual significance is pretty serious stuff.  It’s no wonder that many of us get hot under the collar when we think that something so basic and profound is being ignored, stepped on or trivialized as now seems to be happening on the Internet.

We’ve developed some customs and guidelines over the years to address, in a general way, what we as a fellowship and we as individuals may want to do in a variety of “anonymity threatening” situations.  Many of those are described and outlined in our pamphlet entitled; “Understanding Anonymity” and we frequently reassess the effectiveness and comprehensiveness of that pamphlet.  

In fact, anonymity is addressed in almost every piece of AA literature in one way or another. 

When I searched the AA Grapevine digital archive for the word “anonymity” I was referenced to 994 articles on the subject.  It truly is of immense spiritual significance! 

So what is different about Anonymity in the DIGITAL Age?  Are we truly facing a place on the “road of happy destiny” where we have to look seriously at changing our understanding of the “principle of anonymity”? 

I don’t think the principle needs to be changed, but I think we  have an opportunity to look seriously at our personal and collective interpretation of humility, effectiveness, and respect for the rights and identities of other AA members.

In the light of the advent and widespread use of email, online AA groups, blog sites, social networks, texting, twitter, as well as new communication opportunities opening up every hour, I think we MUST open up vigorous and honest discussions with each other about our personal choices concerning anonymity.  

And, above all, I think we should stand ready to listen to and hear different viewpoints.   “There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance—that principle is contempt prior to investigation.”

The Digital Age offers us yet more opportunities and responsibility to explore our “principles of anonymity and humility” …  We may find that we will have to adjust some of our customs, some of our small “t” traditions … we may have to take seriously the proclamation “we know only a little” instead of asserting that new technology must be forced into line with our old ideas… and maybe some new and remarkable spiritual insights will come out of our explorations, discussions, and experience.

 I’m literally thrilled to be part of this great experiment called Alcoholics Anonymous.


From the Delegate's Desk #8

Date:  August 1, 2010

To:     Mid-Southern California Area

From:  Linda C., Panel 60 Conference Delegate

Contact me:  delegatepanel60@msca09aa.org

RE:     Visiting you!

 

Hello, Area 09!

Thank you for your hospitality, attention and interest in my experiences at the 60th Annual General Service Conference.  I have made reports of varying lengths to twenty-one districts (a few more to come), two Young People in AA Committees, one Hospitals & Institutions Committee, two Intergroup Committees and three AA Groups.

You have been not only patient and attentive, you have asked wonderful and insightful questions…some of which I could answer and some of which I have had to do some research on…

Many of you have indicated interest in getting “involved” in various aspects of general service and I hope you will do so… several people have been inspired to organize an ad hoc Remote Communities Committee in our area and I encourage you to follow through, come to the Area Meetings and let’s see what we can do to open the doors wider to the Remote Communities in our backyards (for example, the Native American communities who may feel estranged, suspicious, or out of touch).

Some of you are interested in the Grapevine survey (and the La Viña survey) that I have been distributing at various meetings.  Please copy those surveys, take them to your recovery groups and meetings and send them to me… I will make sure they are included in the analysis data that is being gathered all over the U.S. and Canada… we can make a difference!

Some of you have told me that you wonder if women are being warmly but safely being welcomed and encouraged to join AA… One person asked me, “Do our sponsors have enough guidance to help new women to feel welcome and safe?”  This is part of a growing interest in various kinds of concerns about the vulnerabilities of newcomers and how we, as sponsors and group members address such situations when they arise in our own home groups.

I have seen many, many GSRs at district meetings.  I’ll bet I have met close to 500 GSRs in the past few weeks at district meetings.   Why are the GSRs not coming to the Area Assemblies?  And I’ve met perhaps 50 or 60 DCMs or more.   Why are the DCMs and other district officers not attending the Area Service Committee meetings?

Many of our districts have active committees… doing wonderful AA service, and many of them are not sending their committee chairs to meet with the area committees.  Would it be helpful to have communication between these committees?  Would there be more outreach to the alcoholic who still suffers if we had more representation and more folks working together?

 As I’ve been traveling around and meeting with you, I’ve been delighted to see the sincere interest almost everyone has in what is happening in AA worldwide; how the literature and other materials we publish are making a difference in North America and elsewhere; how the actions of the Conference, as implemented by the Trustees and the General Service Office Staff, are working to make it possible to carry the AA message to more and more alcoholics who still suffer this disease of alcoholism.

            I am thoroughly enjoying serving as your Panel 60 General Service Delegate from Area 09!  It is, of course, a privilege and an honor, but it is also a joy and I thank you for your interest, responsiveness and willingness to try to carry the message that general service is of value to the fellowship into your home groups and meetings….

            There is SO much to do and so many people who would like to take part, if they only knew that the opportunity exists.  How can we better reach the isolated group or meeting?  I want to be available to every AA member in our Area… but I can’t visit 1800 groups… can you help me?

 


From the Delegate's Desk #7

Date:    June 13, 2010

To:      Mid-Southern California Area

From:  Linda C., Panel 60 Conference Delegate

RE:      A few things we can do…

 

AA Grapevine or La Viña:

1.     Take two copies of questionnaire

a.    Fill one out and mail to delegate (address is on the questionnaire)

b.   Make copies for your group and announce that they are on the literature table

2.    Write an article and send it in (can be done online at www.aagrapevine.org)

3.    Consider subscriptions as a gift, for your home group, for your doctor, lawyer, laundromat, library or <fill in the blank>

 

Online Contributions to GSO

1.        Read GSO info on how to make online contributions to GSO

2.       Announce at District and Group meetings

 

Archives:

1.     Carry copies of Group History Forms

a.    Ask long-timers if they have any information on early group history and encourage them to fill out forms

2.    Visit Archives Repository in Riverside, either alone or with group members; check out opportunities to take “work parties” to go through “stuff” and help make our history more accessible…and it’s fun!

3.    Remind your home group that local historical documents and literature can have a safe and useful home at the Area Archives…is there anything the members would like to contribute?

 

Connection with AA as a whole?

1.     Take (and make) copies of “No GSR” upside down triangle to groups who have no GSR and see if they will consider electing one…

2.    Make sure literature racks have the GSR pamphlet and maybe mention the importance of the link with AA as a whole during announcements.

3.    Ask your home group members for ideas about how to increase participation in General Service and send ideas to Linda.

 

 New Pacific Region Trustee

1.     Announce:  Rod B., from Utah will serve for four years.  A past conference delegate and long-time professional in the field of alcoholism recovery, Rod is Navajo and the first Native American to serve as trustee for A.A.

 

Pacific Regional Forum: August

1.     Take some flyers for the Pacific Regional Forum to your home group(s).  They are also available on line at: Calendar.html

2.    Read the information about Regional Forums and encourage EVERYONE in AA to attend…it’s not just about General Service, but about AA as a whole…and there’s a “First Timers’ Orientation” and, it’s FREE!! (No registration)

 

New Stories Needed from…

1.     Members of the Armed Services (or veterans) in order to update the pamphlet for members of the Armed Services

2.    Members who have long-term sobriety in A.A. who are atheists of agnostics.

3.    Members who take prescribed medications and are successfully sober in AA (for consideration for “Medications & Other Drugs” pamphlet update.

 

 Living Sober Booklet

Re-read the booklet “Living Sober” with an eye to possible updates or revisions and send any ideas to Linda.

 

Hospitals & Institutions

 

1.     If you’re participating in H&I panels, the Trustees’ Corrections Committee is gathering information from throughout North America about signing sponsorship agreements and legally binding documents with correctional facilities.  If you have experience, please contact Linda for information on how to participate in this project.

 

Videos and PSAs

Would your Group or District like to see some of the new and/or old AA videos and Public Service Announcements?  Contact Linda and she will arrange for a screening.

 

Obituaries

Pass on to your group or district the text added to the pamphlet “Understanding Anonymity” concerning obituaries for AA members:  “A.A. members generally think it unwise to break the anonymity of a member even after his or her death, but in each situation, the final decision must rest with the family.  A.A. members, though, are in agreement that the anonymity of still-living A.A. members should be respected in obituaries or in any type of printed remembrance or death notice.”

 

Discussion about full faces in A.A. videos

Discussion topic:  Should full faces be shown of actors in A.A. videos who are portraying A.A. members or potential A.A. members?  How does this pertain to our anonymity tradition?  (You might want to view the “Hope” video, which sparked this recent discussion.)  Share information with Linda as the Trustees’ Public Information Committee is gathering information on this topic for a possible agenda topic for 2011.

 

Theme discussion:  “We are responsible for A.A.’s Future—Let it begin with us.”

1.     Discussion topic for group, workshop or district:  What are your concerns (if any) about A.A.s personal anonymity on the Internet?  Especially on social networks such as Facebook, Myspace, etc. 

2.    Discussion topic for group, workshop or district: How can we practice our traditions and carry the message effectively in a digital age? 

3.    d Discussion topic for group, workshop or district:  Is our group informed?  If not, should we do something about it?  What does “informed” mean?

4.   Discussion topic for group, workshop or district:  Is our group/district/area open to all alcoholics?  How diverse is diverse enough?  How can we (or should we) open the doors wider to our community of alcoholics to reach out?

5.    Discussion topics for group, workshop, or district:  Do I have a Home Group?  What does a Home Group mean to me?  Does my Home Group have a business meeting or steering committee meeting separate from the recovery meetings?  Who’s in charge of my Home Group?

 

Pamphlets

Read a different A.A. pamphlet each week…make notes if you think something could be improved or you have other ideas, and pass the ideas on to Linda.

 

Still putting a dollar in the basket?  FYI:

 

If you put $1.00 in the basket in:

And you’re still putting a dollar in the basket, it is now worth:

In order to keep up with inflation, this would be what you would put in the basket:

1975

25 cents

$ 4.05

1980

38 cents

$ 2.65

1985

49 cents

$ 2.03

1990

60 cents

$ 1.67

1995

70 cents

$ 1.43

2000

79 cents

$ 1.27

2005

90 cents

$ 1.12

 

            There are an estimated 48,000 A.A. members in Mid-Southern California Area 09…and about 1,700 groups.  At our last Assembly there were 73 GSRs and a total of 157 people in attendance.  In January there were 57 GSRs and 208 people in attendance.  More than half of the GSRs were from Spanish-speaking groups.  Are the groups in our Area being fairly represented? 

BIG CHALLENGE:  HOW TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION IN GENERAL SERVICE??

Write to: Linda at delegatepanel60@msca09aa.org


From the Delegate's Desk #6
Date: June 2010

To: Mid-Southern California Area
From: Linda C., Panel 60 Conference Delegate

IS THE DOOR OPEN TO ALL ALCOHOLICS WHO WISH TO RECOVER?

Here are some questions for you and your group:

Is the door of your group open to

·         The single parent who can’t afford a babysitter?

·         The deaf newcomer?

·         The wheelchair bound alcoholic?

·         The member who speaks and understands only another language?

·         Those who have other accessibility or special needs?

And, in general, is the door of Alcoholics Anonymous open to

·         Alcoholics who live in geographically remote communities?

·         Those alcoholics who are culturally, religiously, or philosophically different than our “normal” or “customary” communities?

·         Every alcoholic in treatment facilities, institutions, and hospitals?

Some of our long-time members are resistant to General Service…they refer to it as “AA politics” and believe that they have to choose between an isolated recovery group that serves the needs of the “wet one” coming in the door and AA as a whole.

I believe differently.   

It is my opinion (and I may have another tomorrow) that the work of General Service is to explore every possible way to open the door of A.A. wider for the “wet one”… sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly… but always wider, so that more (dare I dream “all”?) alcoholics who want to join us can do so.  I believe all of this “general” service supports the group and individual work and makes 12th step work even more effective and attractive.

Take a look at the names of the Standing Committees in this newsletter!  Each one is focused on a specific opportunity to carry the message to the alcoholic who still suffers: public information, cooperation with our professional friends, cooperation with the elder community, literature, Grapevine and La Vina, preserving our archives for reference and enlightenment, treatment facilities, special needs, and so many more. 

If you haven’t found your “place” in A.A. yet… or you’re getting a bit “bored” with A.A., try us out…

We’ve got a chair saved just for you!

Linda C., Panel 60, MSCA 09 Delegate


From the Delegate's Desk #3:
Date: March 2010

To: Mid-Southern California Area
From: Linda C., Panel 60 Conference Delegate

Presentation at Pacific Region A.A. Service Assembly, March, 2010.

I was selected to serve on the Conference Agenda Committee for my term as delegate, so I especially thank PRAASA Program Chair, Jim I., for asking me to discuss the General Service Conference Agenda Selection Process today.

There are those who believe that the current system works just fine, and why bring it up at all; there are those who believe that an earlier system of selecting agenda items for consideration at the Conference worked better, and want to return to it or something like it; there are those who don’t know what the answer is, but think there is a question about whether our current method could use some scrutiny with an eye to possible improvement. In short, the spotlight has been focused on this procedure and it has given us the opportunity to look closely at the history, the procedure, rights and principles … Principles of trust, transparency and respect; and, our rights of participation, responsibility, and final authority.
So, where do proposals for final agenda items come from?

Throughout the history of AA there has always been a practice of encouraging individual members of AA, as well as groups, and areas to submit ideas to the General Service Board about how the Fellowship can best carry its message to the still suffering alcoholic, and, in particular about the services provided by the General Service Office and by the AA Grapevine. In addition, proposals can be submitted from delegates, trustees, area committee members, directors and staff members of AAWS and the Grapevine.

So what are the specific criteria for selection of an item?

The challenge for anyone involved in the agenda item selection process, is to find a balance between whether an item rises to the level of a matter “…liable to seriously affect A.A. as a whole,” and whether it will improve AA’s ability to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers. I doubt very much that there will ever be a time when there is no disagreement about some selections and some omissions.

Next, what is the current process for selection of agenda items?

There are currently several outlines for the process for vetting a proposal. At the 2008 General Service Conference a detailed written explanation of the current practice was prepared and distributed to delegates at that Conference. It’s titled “Role of the General Service Board and the General Service Office in Processing Suggestions for Conference Agenda Items,” and is helpful in presenting some detail about the current process.

In general terms, proposals for agenda items are received by the GSO Staff, who study them in light of previous Conference actions and relevance to the overall criteria for conference consideration. For instance: a suggestion that, in light of ecological considerations, the Conference ban the use of Styrofoam cups in AA meetings. This is an example of a proposal that the GSO Staff could deal with in a respectful, informative response explaining that this would be a Group decision and falls outside of the scope of the General Service Conference consideration.

In most cases, however, the Staff passes proposed items on to the appropriate trustees’ committee, who then make the decisions whether to take no action on the item, to table the item, or to put it on the agenda for conference consideration, and whether it should be a workshop topic, a presentation subject, a proposal or a committee concern.

The General Service Board has taken the responsibility since 1973 of selecting the items to be considered at the General Service Conference, and has based its authority to do so on Article 10 of The Current Conference Charter, and Concepts 3, 6, 7, 8,and 9.

What was the process for selection of agenda items prior to 1973 and why do some want to return to it?

Prior to 1973 what was then called the Conference Agenda/Admissions Committee kept in contact with the then existing General Service Board Policy Committee and made recommendations about agenda items for the upcoming Conference.

Unfortunately, we seem to have too few records, reports or observations from that time for me to have a clear picture of exactly how the process worked prior to 1973, nor is there agreement about exactly how the process changed between 1973 and 1974.

Some believe that the Conference Agenda Committee had a final authority to place or reject the recommended agenda items from the General Service Board Committee. Others have interpreted the scant material available to mean that the Conference Committee was given only the authority to consent to decisions to NOT consider a proposal. In other words the conference committee was given the opportunity to reverse the trustees’ decision to reject a topic proposal. Others feel that the two committees worked in harmony and came to consensus before placing an item on the Conference agenda.

In any case, to paraphrase the GSO Archivist’s 2009 summary of her research on this agenda item: Before the Trustees Committee on the Conference was established in 1973, the Conference Agenda Committee DID apparently consider every suggestion for an agenda item that was sent in, and they actually communicated with the Trustees throughout the year to discuss the recommend agenda items.
Whether the Conference Committee actually had final say about the selection seems to be unclear…at least to me.

So, again, why are we talking about this?

As I said earlier, since 2008, several areas have submitted proposals to consider the Agenda Selection process. Some interpret the current language in the Service Manual, defining the duties and responsibilities of the Conference Agenda Committee, to mandate the hands-on participation (and authority) of the Conference Agenda Committee. They believe that the Conference Agenda Committee should play a primary role in the selection process. Others believe that the agenda selection process may be flawed in some ways, but have asked only that the trustees’ committees research and review the current system and recommend improvements.

In response, the 2009 Trustees’ Committee on the General Service Conference appointed a subcommittee to address the subject titled: Coordination of [the] Conference Agenda. The subcommittee submitted a four-page report covering background, history, proposals, discussion, conclusions and recommendations.

Among those recommendations were the requests that their report be forwarded to the Conference Agenda Committee, along with the request that the Conference Agenda committee seek input from 2010 conference members through a workshop agenda item and presentations, and further recommended that the same agenda item be discussed at the General Sharing Session of the General Service Board prior to the 2010 Conference.

All these recommendations have either been carried out or are on track to be carried out at the 2010 Conference.

My Conclusions…or questions…

• Is the Fellowship being denied the Right of Participation because the Conference Agenda Committee does not have a part in the selection process?
• Are the Trustees Committees using their authority to reject or table agenda items without adequately communicating with the delegates and other members of the conference?
• Are there other aspects of agenda item selection that need to be raised and discussed?


Good questions … and I don’t know the answers, but I’m honored to be part of the process.

Thank you.


From the Delegate's Desk #2:
Date: February 15, 2010

To: Mid-Southern California Area
From: Linda C., Panel 60 Conference Delegate

Hello, MSCA AA!  

Here are the final conference agenda items for the 2010 General Service Conference in April.  Please check it out and make it available to the members of your groups for discussion.  Please contact me at: delegatepanel60@msca09aa.org with any feedback, concern, or requests for clarification....I will do my best to have or get the answers.

In addition, there is background material available for each agenda item and I am given the opportunity to distribute that material to other interested AA members in our area (MSCA 09).  

So, if you would like background material on one or more of the agenda items, please contact me at delegatepanel60@msca09aa.org and let me know the following:  1) For which item do you want background material?  2) In what form would you like to receive it? (CD? Email attachment? Printed copy?) Note:  If you want a CD or printed copy, please send your snail mail address!  Also, the background material is provided in English, only.  

The background material will not be posted on the website as much of it contains confidential AA documents that contain full names and other personal information.  This material should not be placed in any place accessible to the public and should not be shared with non-AA members.  GSO trusts, as do I, that any one of you who requests background material will treat that which is entrusted to you with all due care and respect.

I look forward to hearing from you and having a good dialogue about the items of interest to you...

Linda C.
Panel 60 MSCA 09 Delegate
2010 General Service Conference Final Agenda Items


From the Delegate's Desk #1::
Date: January 10, 2010

To: Mid-Southern California Area
From: Linda C., Panel 60 Conference Delegate

Re: 2010 General Conference Theme: “Our Commitment to Carry A.A.’s Message—Enthusiasm and Gratitude in Action

Inspired by the Conference theme, the following presentations/discussion topics will be addressed at the 2010 General Service Conference in New York this April. I have slightly modified the discussion topics to be useful to us in our group/district/committee/assembly work.

A Suggestion: Topic discussion and/or presentations at Area or Intergroup meetings or even topics or sharing at recovery meetings on any or some of the following:

A. Practicing these principles in all our “service” affairs:

1. What is the difference between General Service and service in general?
2. Love and tolerance is our code.
3. Setting an example—attraction to service.

B. Unity through inventory:

1. Our common welfare should come first
2. This we owe to A.A.’s future
3. What happens after inventory?

C. General Service event agenda selection process:

1. How it works
2. Collective participation
3. Communication—The key to an informed decision

 

Duties of the Delegate:
a.   It is the Delegate’s ultimate responsibility to provide the leadership necessary to build a sound service structure in the Area, without which the job of communication from the Groups to the Conference and then back again would be impossible.

b.   The Delegate has the responsibility of attending the General Service Conference, prepared to express the “conscience” of the Area as a result of having presented and discussed the Conference agenda topics throughout the Area during the months preceding the Conference.

c.   During the Conference sessions, it is the Delegate’s responsibility as a trusted servant to carefully evaluate the viewpoints expressed on each subject under discussion and then vote on all questions, not as a representative of a particular Area, but as a member of the Conference whose duty it is to act in the best interests of A.A. as a whole.

d.   After the Conference the Delegate is responsible for reporting for reporting back to the Area in the best way possible to reach all members of A.A. in the Area.

e.   Ongoing Conference duties.

Maintains constant communications during the year with G.S.O. and the General Service Board on information, studies and surveys.

Serves as a member of a specific Conference Committee during the two year tenure.

f.    Attends all Area Assembly and Area Service Committee meetings.

g.   Attends other Area Service functions and visits district meetings as often as possible.

h.   Attends the Pacific Region Alcoholics Anonymous Service Assembly (P.R.A.A.S.A.) and when appropriate, other regional or state service functions.

 
 

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