TRADITION SIX

An AA group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the AA name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose, as most alcoholics are bankrupt idealists.

The reason that alcoholism can be licked and cured is false. Alcoholic is in recovery all his life; only one drink away and can never graduate from 12 step program. Most alcoholics are bankrupt idealists and perfectionists but failing perfection in all aspects of our lives. By failing in every respect we came to the conclusion that in no circumstance we should endorse any enterprise how good it may be.
AA fellow should ask the following questions to himself regarding this tradition;

1. Should my fellow group members and I go out and raise money to endow several AA beds in our local hospital?
2. Is it good for a group to lease a small building?
3. Are all the officers and members of our local club for AAs familiar with “Guidelines on Clubs” (which is available free from GSO)?
4. Should the secretary of our group serve on the mayor’s advisory committee on alcoholism?
5. Some alcoholics will stay around AA only if we have a TV and card room. If this is what is required to carry the message to them, should we have these facilities?