| FEB. 1947 Grapevine, Page 12, middle column Country-Wide News Circuit column |
Hold Information Meeting --The Muncie, Ind., Mission Group has changed its name to the
Muncie and Inter-County Group, although still meeting weekly at the Muncie Mission until a larger
room can be found. Workers report a great need for A.A. work in Muncie and an attempt to meet a
lack of information led to a meeting last month at the YWCA in Muncie with speakers from Dayton
and Indianapolis, including a minister, priest, physician and an A.A. member. About 300 invitations
were sent to clergymen, doctors, judges and others and about 250 copies of Medicine Looks at
A.A. and the A.A. booklet were obtained for the meeting, which is expected to result in better
contacts for 12th Step work.
Muncie and Inter-County Group, although still meeting weekly at the Muncie Mission until a larger
room can be found. Workers report a great need for A.A. work in Muncie and an attempt to meet a
lack of information led to a meeting last month at the YWCA in Muncie with speakers from Dayton
and Indianapolis, including a minister, priest, physician and an A.A. member. About 300 invitations
were sent to clergymen, doctors, judges and others and about 250 copies of Medicine Looks at
A.A. and the A.A. booklet were obtained for the meeting, which is expected to result in better
contacts for 12th Step work.
| COPY OF BOOKLETS |
The Other Visitor, article of Jan. 20,1947 upset some of the local members and
prompted a response in a letter to the editor. Muncie Evening Press, Feb. 5, 1947:
prompted a response in a letter to the editor. Muncie Evening Press, Feb. 5, 1947:
| Voice of Eastern Indiana PROGRAM OF THE A.A. To The Editor: A few days ago there appeared an article “In the Press of Things”, the heading of which was “The Other Fellow”, who was a drunk. There would not have been much thought about the article by a FEW of us had it not been that the so-called drunk was reported to have boasted that he belonged to Alcoholics Anonymous. These few, perhaps unthoughtedly placed words caused an already difficult situation to become worse for us---a small group of men and women who are trying to stay sober and to help others to stay sober. The article, to say the least, places an odious stigma on Alcoholics Anonymous and an unfair implication on its members. The person referred to in the article is well known to us and undoubtedly was drunk, but to brand Alcoholics Anonymous because one person was drunk is like labeling all churches hypocritical because we believe some members are hypocrites. It is true sometimes that the ones who criticize the church or its members as being hypocrites are themselves hypocritical and criticize for the sole purpose of covering up their own shortcomings. Of course, there could be no simile between this situation and one person calling another a “drunk.” We who are trying would appreciate very much your telling the people of this community that there are none who sincerely live the Alcoholics Anonymous program that are gutter snipes or drunks. As in any group of society, there are misfits who do not live by the accepted rules, but you do not crucify society because of them. You might mention also the fact that there are well over 1,000 non- dues paying groups of Alcoholics Anonymous in the United States, Canada, South and Central America with an aggregate membership in excess of 35,000 and that the length of sobriety of the members of these groups range from a few months up to 12 years,(the A.A. movement was started in 1935). You might say too that since alcoholism has no favorites, hitting the poor and rich alike, that we have both in our group and both are welcome. There are only two requirements for A.A. participants. First, an admission that we cannot handle liquor, that it controls us and second, that we sincerely (note the word sincerely) want to do something about it. To any who can answer truthfully “yes” to these two requirements, we extend a most cordial invitation to help us and let us help them. The A.A. program is not one of prohibition. It will not as an organization enter into any controversial subject either, religious, political, or social. Our only purpose is to help each other keep sober and while a few of us do slip, by far the majority of us are leading sober and I might add extremely happy lives. Alcoholism is now recognized by the medical profession generally as a disease and as such, there is no disgrace attached to it; any more so than there is to any other disease such as diabetes or tuberculosis. Also there is no moral issue involved. The true alcoholic person is allergic to alcohol and however much he would like to be a social drinker, he simply cannot take any amount of alcohol without running the risk of the bad effects, which every alcoholic person thoroughly knows. He cannot do this any more than a hay fever sufferer can walk through a field of golden rod without the bad effects of sneezing. If you publish this letter please tell your readers that they can reach Alcoholics Anonymous through P. O. Box 741 and tell them also that they must demonstrate their sincerity by letting us know how we may contact them personally. An Alcoholic Anonymous Member. Reporter’s Apology From the Muncie Press Feb. 5, 1947 THERE IS A MATTER TO BE attended to. In an effort to tell an amusing story or give, perhaps, a vignette from life here we recently offended members of an organization which is doing an immense amount of good in Muncie. The organization is “A.A.” – Alcoholics Anonymous and their letter has appeared or will appear, elsewhere on this page. The reference was to a man who came, somewhat intoxicated, into a certain tavern and declared he was a member of Alcoholics Anonymous. The members have thought it seemed, or that we made it seem, as if they condone such relapses, or as if they frequently do retreat from the difficult stand they have taken. That was not intended. At the time, we thought we should have accompanied this man home – it would have been the good turn one rarely does. Instead, we passed it off. It should be known that the same man did achieve his first freedom in years from the liquor habit through the offices of Alcoholics Anonymous, and they will continue to help him until he wins. They no more “drop” a member who sometimes fails than would a doctor abandon a patient who on a certain day failed to show improvement. Most men who really wish to do so can stop drinking without seeking outside help. Others can’t and when they know this and are willing to seek assistance, their battle is already half won. Alcoholics Anonymous, made up of men who have won, is recognized and thanked by doctors and social workers; it has proved itself as an effective curative force. Its work is done quietly, without profit motive, and is available to all – only last week we were able to direct an inquirer to this source of assistance. They can always be reached by mail at Post Office Box 741, Muncie. So – for that little story, and the ungracious hint contained in it, we apologize. The work of this group merits commendation, rather than light treatment by any stick-writer, particularly one who might once upon a time have used their ministrations to advantage. |