[Businessmtg] OLA-IS is this our only voice?

[Steve Rankin]

I think that Emee raised a couple of very valid points.

1.  No one in the face-to-face fellowship really wants to discuss online
meetings.  Well, except how to control them, or how to get money out of
them, or how to set up their own web site.  The  tougher question of how to
make the online meetings a genuine part of the fellowship complete with a
voice in the service structure is a real hot potato that no one wants to be
responsible for.

2.  That the online meetings do not have any place or forum where the
members of the online meetings can discuss the issues of the online meetings
and find their own solutions using their own ES&H.  Face-to-face meetings
have District, Areas, the WSC (World Service Conference) and Intergroups
where the GRs, DRs, Delegates and others discuss their all too plentiful
issues & seek to find resolution.  

The only entity that serves these needs is OLA-IS.  

OK, the truth is that OLA-IS is dormant.  Why?  Because WSO said so.  

The last time I checked, one of the basic principles in this fellowship is
it's upside-down service structure where the membership & groups are at the
top and WSO is at the bottom. The Service Manual said that WSO was NEVER
supposed to attempt to direct the fellowship.  Unfortunately, WSO spends
more than a little of its energy doing exactly that.

So, my suggestion is that we invest both time (via an ACTIVE representative)
and money (donation) to support and re-invigorate OLA-IS to serve the needs
of the online meetings and as a result the needs of the still suffering
Al-Anons out there.

Controversial?  Certainly.  But, IMHO it's good for ASP, good for the
fellowship and good for Al-Anons in general.  

Hugs,
Steve