[Businessmtg] Fw: Business meeting - WSO

Thu Apr 18 21:23:25 PDT 2013

Hi ASPers,

We are told to practice these principles in all of our affairs, so I'm going to try to connect each facet of this issue with an Al-Anon principle.  Since this is a complex issue, my response is complex, perhaps even tedious.  Please be patient and read it carefully. 

1.  Donations to the Al-Anon service structure

I've learned in Al-Anon that there are several Al-Anon service entities that my groups needed to support, both actively and fiscally.  We had an Intergroup, Information Service, Literature Depot, District, Area and WSO.  Generally speaking, most groups choose to provide the majority of their support to the local entity, then the Area, and finally the smallest portion goes to WSO.  We have (or have had) a smaller, but otherwise similar array of entities available to ASP: 

The same is true - or should be - with our online meetings.  OLA-IS was serving the need for an Online Information Service extremely well long before WSO provided ANY information for the Al-Anon member looking for an online meeting.  Eventually, WSO did provide information but the member had to call WSO on the phone to get any information from them. This was a deal-breaker for many newcomers.  Then, a few years ago WSO directed OLA-IS to cease functioning as an AIS, yet allowed them to continue to maintain the OLA-IS web site.

OLA-IS status.  I ran a whois search and determined that their domain registration was last updated on 12/21/2012 and is paid through 2/22/2014 so that indicated there is actual activity going on at OLA-IS.   Then, I contacted OLA-IS directly. Yes, they are alive and healthy even if some of the pages appear to be out of date.  Expecting web sites to be up to date as a measure of an organizations validity is a recipe for failure - some of ASP's pages are out of date, too, yet we're certainly alive and active.  I'm told me that the Al-Anon Board of Directors contacted them and "requested" that they change the name, although they weren't required to change the name on the web site.  They are now known at OLAOC - Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee.  I was involved in some communications with the folks at OLA-IS/OLAOC about 5 years ago.  That's when I found out about snafu between WSO & OLA-IS, although I didn't get the details then.  The only reason that OLA-IS isn't more active is that WSO bullied OLA-IS into its current status of being a "committee" instead of an AIS.  If you think "bullying" is an exaggeration, consider that WSO sued a friend of mine 3 times because the BOD/WSO didn't like his Al-Anon-related web site (the case was dismissed the first 2 times, but with the Executive Director of WSO being an attorney, there's little if any restraint from suing members of Al-Anon that the BOD/WSO disagrees with.

FYI, the Service Manual states: "An Al‑Anon Information Service, also known as an Intergroup, is a local service established and maintained by one or more districts or by groups located close enough to one another for easy access and communication.  Geographical boundaries need not be observed unless one Information Service conflicts with another nearby, in which case a geographical division should be set by mutual agreement."  OLA-IS does not violate any f2f AIS geographical boundaries because it does not conflict with ANY f2f AIS.

None the less, the current situation is:

*  OLAOC continues to function and operate the OLA-IS web site.

*  The OLA-IS website continues to be the primary source of information for the Al-Anon seeking information about Al-Anon meetings online.  

 *  I have informed OLAOC that I will serve as the ASP representative until ASP elects a representative.

The bottom line is that WSO is NOT the only valid Al-Anon entity worthy of our excess funds.  There is  OLAOC/OLA-IS as well as GSO’s that serve Al-Anon’s in other countries where we have ASP members.

2.  Amount of donation.  

Most Al-Anon f2f meetings donate a portion of their excess funds, typically 60% to their District, 30% to their Area and 10% to WSO.  If ASP was permitted to participate in the Al-Anon service structure, I'm sure that we would donate our excess funds in a like manner - the majority to the service entity that most directly serves the meeting with WSO receiving the smallest amount.

Donating just half of our excess funds would still be 5 times as much (proportionally) as the typical F2F meeting.

3. Jerry's comments.

"Just because ASP's Business Meeting has been unable [for the better part of a decade!] to arrive at a policy regarding where our donations are to go . . ."  This is both an exaggeration and misleading.  Yes, we initiated this discussion several years ago - before we had accumulate sufficient funds to meet our prudent reserve.  Because we recognized that this issue was controversial and that an easy solution was not forthcoming, ASP made a unanimous group conscience (including Jerry) decision to postpone disbursing excess funds until we had resolved this issue.  

Al-Anon teaches us to take the time we need to make good decisions.  The idea that taking time to make a good decision equates to harming someone is contrary to our principles.  We have not harmed WSO, nor do we somehow owe WSO any amends.

Some are quite disturbed that ASP hasn't made a decision regarding the disbursement of our excess funds in 5 year, AND there has been considerable derogatory discussion surrounding this fact.  Yet, there is little if any concern over the fact that WSO has failed to make a decision regarding how the online meetings fit into the service structure for 18 years.  

If members of ASP are justified in principle and withhold donations to ASP because they don't believe that ASP is supporting the service structure, then the same principle applies equally for ASP to withhold donations to that part of the service structure that is failing to support ASP – namely WSO.

4.  Jerry's suggestion(s):

Jerry suggested that we donate a fixed amount - specifically $50/month ==> $600/year to WSO.  He also recommended that ASP make said donation a higher priority than any non-essential ASP expenses.  This has several faults:

We are taught to take care of ourselves first.  After many years of focusing on others, the concept of taking care of ourselves first is challenging for most of us.  The idea that taking care of ourselves includes fun stuff is extremely difficult for many Al-Anons.  Yet, it is true.  Meetings are not just barren exchanges of ES&H.  Meetings have a social side that often includes refreshments - a completely valid expense borne by the meeting.  The same is true for Conferences, Assemblies, etc.  And so it goes for ASP.  Funds spent for the good of the membership of ASP are group expenses, and group expenses are always a higher priority than donating funds to another entity.  

Jerry's recommended amount exceeds our discretionary historical cash flow, which has the effect of creating debt.  Al-Anon entities do NOT create debt.  

Jerry also suggested that the Treasurer post extra additional appeals for the purpose of raising funds to donate to WSO.  Fundraising for WSO is not a function of any Al-Anon meeting.  

Tradition 5:  "Each Al-Anon Family Group has but one purpose: to help families of alcoholics. We do this by practicing the Twelve Steps of AA ourselves, by encouraging and understanding our alcoholic relatives, and by welcoming and giving comfort to families of alcoholics." 

We have but one purpose - and fundraising is not mentioned as a part of that purpose.

Tradition 7: "Every group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions."  

We are told we ought to be self-supporting and to decline outside contributions.  Again, no mention of fundraising.

Tradition 9: "Our groups, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve."

This would normally refer to the Districts, Areas and WSO however this Tradition states that those are "directly responsible to those they serve."  Since WSO is not directly responsible to ASP in any way - not even indirectly - it follows that Tradition 9 does not apply to the relationship between ASP & WSO.  However, it could apply to OLA-IS.  

Lastly, Al-Anon teaches us how to deal with reality, not the hypothetical.  The reality is that our Treasurer’s have not passed the basket every month.  Not even when Jerry was treasurer and we hadn’t yet attained our Prudent Reserve did he pass the basket every month.  I’m OK with that – being a Trusted Servant isn’t about perfection.  It’s about serving the needs of the meeting and our needs have been met most of the time, so we’re OK.  OTOH, expecting the Treasurer to pass the basket more frequently for the sole purpose of raising funds for WSO?  That’s not our responsibility.  

5.  WSO Representation.

Some have said that WSO "represents" the online meetings, including ASP.  Ten years after ASP started, the WSC passed a motion (88-6) to amend the Service Manual to read:

"The Internet and other electronic telecommunication media are tools for carrying and sharing the Al-Anon program of hope and recovery around the world. These electronic meetings occur globally as well as locally without geographic restrictions. Consequently, electronic meetings do not have a Group Representative and are not part of any structure. They do, however, have a Meeting Contact.

When electronic meetings form, they register with the World Service Office (WSO) in order to use the Al-Anon name. Upon registration, they receive support from and have their voices heard and represented through the WSO. Registered meetings may request a license from the WSO to use in text format the Steps, Traditions, Concepts of Service, Suggested Welcome, Suggested Closing, and excerpts from Conference Approved Literature (CAL)."

OK, that's what it says in the Service Manual.  ASP registered with WSO many years earlier before that motion, yet we have received negligle support and zero 'representation' before or since.  

Yes, we have permission to use CAL in our meetings.  However, unlike f2f meetings we must sign a multi-page legal contract with WSO every year before we can use CAL in our meetings.  Would the members of ASP say that we were "supporting" them if we required each member to sign a contract before they could use CAL in their shares?  Not likely. 

And unlike f2f meetings that have representatives that can lobby for future literature, we have no such representation.  We get what WSO gives us, and the last 18+ years that I've been involved in the leadership of online meetings, 

As for Representation?  I don't think so.  We have never been asked by WSO how we felt about anything, what we needed or wanted from the fellowship, nor has WSO communicated with us except when they wanted something from us.  Only once has WSO ever approached us and asked for input, and in that case they didn't approach us until the deadline was only 2-3 weeks away.  I get better representation from my Congressman.  Let's assume that ASP would like X to happen in the Al-Anon fellowship, and let's assume that Ric doesn't want X to happen.  So, who is going to represent ASP to the fellowship regarding X?  Nobody.  A real representative of ASP must also be a member of ASP.  

GR’s attend their meeting.  If they stop attending their meeting, the Group has the right AND the responsibility to replace them.  GR’s that fail to keep the Group informed of issues at the District, Area and World Service level, and those that fail to do so are at least immediately available to the members of the meeting for questions.  

What happened to the concept of rotation of service?  WSO never rotates, and even if you think they do, Ric B. has been the Executive Director since before the first online meeting started.  Or the idea that we elect our own representative?  

6.  Some have mentioned the service that WSO provides to the fellowship in general as well as in other parts of the world.  While that it true, it doesn't have anything to do with WSO serving ASP or the other online meetings.  ASP already serves the rest of the world.  And as for the WSO staff that travels to those other countries . . . there are many in our fellowship that see that as an expensive junket.  Just as some of you have chosen to stop contributing to ASP because you didn't like how ASP has been handling its finances, there is a growing number in both the AA & Al-Anon fellowships that are withholding donations to WSO & GSO because of the expensive traveling done by staff.  Instead of traveling to romantic places like Russia and Southeast Asia, why not invest those resources into reaching the Al-Anon's in the inner cities of the US and Canada where alcoholism is rampant.

7.  The Al-Anon Service Manual: 

"As the principal service center of the fellowship, the WSO acts in conformity with the wishes of the Conference. It publishes all Conference Approved Literature (CAL). Many functions and activities of the fellowship circulate through this office. It is the center, not the head; it serves but does not control or direct."

It is important for both the members and for WSO to remember that last sentence.  Unfortunately, all too many members as well as WSO frequently forget. 

In conclusion, I think it is quite fair to say that WSO has failed to serve the online meetings as they deserve to be served.  WSO has certainly failed to represent the online meetings to the fellowship; instead WSO has strived to further its own agenda regarding the online meetings, going so far as to literally ignore requests from the online meetings to participate in the Al-Anon International.  

Now, having said all of that, I do have a solution that I'd like to offer that I believe fairly addresses everyone's concerns.

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A.  ASP donate 50% of the funds in excess of the prudent reserve to WSO. 

B.  ASP donate 20% of the funds in excess of the prudent reserve to OLAOC (aka OLA-IS).

C.  ASP donate 20% of the funds in excess of the prudent reserve to GSO's of countries representing members of ASP - details to be determined by the Steering Committee.

D.  ASP hold in trust 10% of the funds in excess of the prudent reserve for donation to Al-Anon service arm(s) that specifically serve and represent online meetings. Said service arm must allow for participation by a representative from ASP to qualify.

E.  ASP repeat the process outlined by A thru D above on a quarterly basis.

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Hopefully, this is an acceptable compromise for the majority, and if so, we can conclude this with a group conscience in the next Business Meeting.

Hugs,

Steve