Re: a.a needs your support -- no -- certain midtown members need your prayers!

Wait -- I think it is, in part, true. I know and admire and love many Midtown folks but I think this has been a case of bad apples spoiling the bunch. It is a strong BB-based group for sure. But those groups tend to attract the wellest of the well but the opposite, too -- the sickest of the sick.

I would not be a recovered alcoholic if I could not see and admit that even in the strongest groups, there is room for ego to get out of whack. I think this is a case where there has been some truth and some exxageration, which is a dangerous combination. It only takes a few members with their own ideas to poison the reputation of any group and that's what has happened here. It's a case of these people not being anonymous in their own home group -- needing to be the Director and play God.

Don't for a second tell me that in an AA group desire for money, property, prestige, authority, and one's own way cannot occur! I would be the first to go to midtown in support of that group (as part of AA) the next time I am in DC...but I am not going to be blind to the fact that people can talk a good talk at the same time their basic instincts have been running amok.

Support the midtown group IMO, but not until you admit that in every news item and rumor there is a large chance that a seed of truth may be at the bottom of it all! Those folks need support in the wake of these presss stories since last spring, but they can restore their group's ability to be of service to all, rather than certain members' latching on to the group to further their own base interests. Those guys I hope will look at how they violated step 12 and most of the traditions by not maintaining spiritual fitness and clarity. That's up to them. In the meanwhile, I am grateful to count Midtown members among my friends and AA heroes and let God take care of the rest!

Spreading this stuff around several months later falls sqarely into the realm of "outside issues" and "public controversy." Sorry if this sounds harsh, but I really think the next right thing in this instance is not to suppress bad stuff, but jsut to support the vast amount of the Midtown membership in going about their business in terms of carrying the message, and to trust that their group conscience as guided by a loving authority has enabled them to take the steps necessary to address the sick fellows in the spirit of love, tolerance, and those Traditions.

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