[Businessmtg] Archive Summary

[Steve Rankin]

Hi folks,

 

OK, my turn to share my two-cents on how I feel about the ASP share archive
issue. 

 

 

As I also mentioned earlier, I can go either way with this, but that doesn't
mean that I don't have some serious thoughts and feelings about it. 

 

On the one hand, it sort of feels un-Al-Anon. 

 

But, feelings are not facts. 

 

I've read the shares and I've tried to look at the Traditions, but I can't
wrap my head around the idea that it is an actual violation of any
Tradition. 

 

The reality is that every member of ASP gets a written copy of every share.
Every member is free to keep or delete those shares as they wish. 

 

Please note that our Founding Policy #3 states: 

"Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions. Repeating of
personal shares for any purpose is considered a violation of this
tradition."

So, members may keep or delete shares as they wish, but they are prohibited
from repeating them for any purpose. 

 

 

Another reality of our online meeting is that we can't look around and see
who is in the meeting. We do introduce every new member to the meeting, but
the List Administrator is the only one that gets notice when members leave.
And with approximately 30,000 people that have come through our doors in the
last 22+ years we need to accept that none of us has a clue who is in the
room of ASP.  

 

 

Next, I need to say that I have never heard of a single complaint from
anyone about our archives. Not even a whimper. And it's not like we've tried
to keep it a secret. Links to the archives have existed for over ten years. 

 

 

But, during this meeting, I have heard some members share good things about
the archives. One called it like reading the Forum, which I thought was an
excellent comparison. 

 

The bottom line?  

 

While a tad controversial, I've heard nothing actually bad about the
archives, but I have heard several good things about them. So, since there
is no history of anyone ever having been hurt even on the smallest level by
our archives, but we do have some history of good things coming from having
them . . .

 

I believe the archives are a good thing for our members and don't violate
any Al-Anon principals because they are inside the meeting. 

 

Hugs,

Steve