Hi everyone,

Let me start off by saying that for 2 weeks, I have sat in the background watching the stuff that has transpired on this board go on.  I had chosen to not practice my control issues here, but instead seek Gods guidence and not let my ego guide me in how to deal with the variety of issues that I see going on here.  I believed that things, and people would work out their own differences and issues and didn't need any assistance from ol' John.  However, I cannot sit in the background any longer.  Alot of what is going on here, is a absolute detriment to the board as a whole, and is currently jeapardizing its integrety as a safe recovery based environment.  We are anything but ATTRACTIVE to either the newcomer or oldtimer at this point.  What has been going on here is literally chasing both the newcomer and the oldtimer away!  It is even reflected in communications I have recieved from non AA members who have stopped in to read the post here, in hopes of gaining a new prepective on Alcoholism and recovery from it.  Here is an example from a private message I recieved today, (3/6/06) from an Al-Anon member on the Al-Anon board;

Hi John,

I'm assuming you run the AA board as well. I check that out frequently to try and look at things from my A's point of view. I just wanted to share with you how quickly I got turned off. That board is out of control. The posts are mean spirited and there seems to be more arguing going on than support. It certainly gives a very bad impression of AA in general. I know I wouldn't join the group if I was an alcoholic looking for help.

I know you can't control what people post. I just wanted to offer a private opinion as someone who looks at the board as a guest. I do love the Al-Anon page and message board. These two are night and day.

If this sounds bad to you, imagine what I'm getting from actual AA board members!  Several are leaving or on the verge of leaving the board altogether because they see what's going on here and the fact that it is not reflecting a basis of recovery or spiritual growth, but instead goes completely against the grain of any 12 step programs purpose and intent.

I have witnessed numerous negative original post and replies to them which degrade, belittle, and devalue other board members.  Obvious, flambuyant attempts to perform character assassinations!  Most are initiated by individuals and then responded to in such a way by other individuals that instead of defusing the situaton, only escalates it with more negativity, or merely by fueling the negativity with any response at all.  Based on time frames (which are recorded) post are made and some individuals negative replies followed so quickly afterwards, it appears that nothing short of cyber stalking for the purpose of harrassment and humiliation is taking place here between a few members.  This is absolutely unacceptable behavior and any further signs of this will result in a permanent ban from this board.

The conduct, behavior, and attitudes being expressed above, towards eachother is not and will not be tolerated any longer here.

One thing the person who wrote to me got wrong is that we can't control what is and isn't allowed to be posted on this board.  We can and will be deleting any further negativity that is brought forward here towards individuals or groups of individuals.  This deletion will be the posting parties, or replying parties only warning.  The next time it occures that individual will immediately be banned from the board for a period of not less than 30 days.

Tradition One says, "Our COMMON welfare comes first..." when someone jeapardizes it by instigating, initiating, or escalating conflict, division, disharmony, crisis or chaos, they will be jeapardizing their own place here, not the groups as a whole.  This is not a threat, this is a promise that I intend to stand by %100 from this day forward.  This is where the free for all stops.   Where there will be real consiquences for inappropriate behavior on this board.

What is life in recovery?  Well, according to the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous on page 103...

"After all, our problems were of our own making. *Bottles were only a symbol*. Besides, we have stopped fighting anybody or anything. We have to!"

 In AA's 12 Step and 12 Traditons book page 26... "Third, all you really need is a truly open mind. Just resign from the debating society and quit bothering yourself and others with such deep questions as whether it was the hen or the egg that came first.

The AA Preamber, read at the beginning of every AA meeting states:

Recovery isn't about stopping drinking, but thats where recovery begins.  Then there are family issues, financial issues, issues related to unhealthy relationships such as codependency, issues related to fear, anger, shame, guilt, grief, sex, social skills, mental health, spiritual developement, etc.

The AA Big Book on page 64 says..."Our liquor was but a symptom. So we had to get down to causes and conditions."

If all we are here for is to stop drinking, faced with this DIESASE, thats the same as just wiping our runny nose when we have Pneumonia.  It's going to keep running and we're going to keep wiping, until we treat the diease, not just the symptom. For us, we, if we are fortunate enough are going to keep stop drinking, not stay stopped drinking if we don't treat this diease with all the available resources at our deposal.  Other or outside resources may not be applicatible to some of us, but that does not mean we have the right to blow that resource out of the water, or off this message board when it could be useful to someone else's journey of recovery.

In the Big Book on page xxvii it says, "The classification of alcoholics seems most difficult, and in much detail is outside the scope of this book."  Indicating clearly we might have to look else where to resolve or get information on a variety of matters related to this disease, those subjected to it, and recovery from it.

This AA message board is just that, a message board for members of AA to utilize.  A place where we can share and exchange our "other" recovery related resources with one another, tell a joke, hear a heart, create a smile, inspire a hope, diminish a fear, write a peom, share an article, inspire a desire, etc.  If it benefits two people, a car might be sold and bought here, a room might be rented, a job might be obtained through this resource...  While as AA members our Primary Purpose is to remain sober and help other alcoholics achive sobriety, it does not become our sole purpose or function, surely not on a message board in cyber space.

Sharing an outside resource and promoting it under the disquise of AA is two different things.  One will be allowed without any problem, the other will be removed. 

Many times I have seen attacks that indicate a person is trying to point out and even picking on the splinter in someone else's eye, while the method they are using to do so, indicates they themselves have a 2x4 protruding from the side of their own head!  Obnoxious, rude and belegerent and then attempting to excuse themselves with a limb "my sponsor was a no frails, no soft warm fuzzies kind of person."  (parapharsed).  Well, if someone has a sponsor teaching them this as a method of mentoring, sponsoring, and tuturing others in recovery, in the absince of compassion, understanding, and love for the student, they might want to seek out another sponsor before they learn how to kill a alcoholic with cruelity!

Lastly, a sick person tends to throw up.  If we are standing too close to them the vomit will hit our shoes, maybe other pieces of our attire.  Sober alcoholics in the absince of true recovery will also throw up, for they are still very sick.  They will throw up mentally, emotionally and spiritually, without regard for where its landing.  Well, its been landing on the recovery table of Miracles In Progress AA message board lately.  While we cannot kick someone out of AA, we can surely remove them from our recovery table to go find another place for themselves to do their throwing up if they are not willing to treat THEIR illness aggressively, with diligence and commitment.  Simply because its contaminating our whole environment here, and we do not need to let any one stay sick here at our expense as a group any longer.

This is a "group" support forum.  Any time our Unity as a group is jeopardized or threatened by any one, in any way, for any reason it is considered a serious offense to the group as a whole and will most likely result in the offender being banned from the board for 30 days, and up to permanently, depending on the nature of the offense.  Creating division, controversy, or chaos among our group members will not be tolerated at all.

Yours In Healing and Recovery,
John F.
MIP Founder and Webmaster

PS. this post is also at the very top of our message board to remain there for a period of 3 days, affording everyone a opportunity to read it, should this one end up on pg 2 or 3 of the post log and end up so far in the back ground it can't be seen any where....

Kinda trying to avoid doing with it, what I did with me  :)