Won't There Be Criminals?

The first threat to Tradition 3 came from inside A.A.: sober alcoholics afraid of who else might come through the door. When the publicity came and strangers began arriving, Bill W. remembered what the members asked each other (A.A. Comes of Age): "Won't there be mighty queer people? Won't there be criminals? Won't there be social undesirables?" And his own judgment of it: "Mixed with a certain amount of snobbishness and smugness, this was downright fear." Years later Bill told of sitting in his office with a member who held the title of countess, then going to a meeting that same night where a mild little man was taking everyone's coats, for nothing. Somebody told him who the man was: "He used to be one of Al Capone's mob." Same fellowship, same door. The Long Form made it the rule for every group (Big Book, p. 563): "Our membership ought to include all who suffer from alcoholism." All. Not all who are respectable, or safe, or easy to have around. Today the same fear works through a front desk that asks for referral papers, and rooms that quietly steer the man from the shelter somewhere else. Test it tonight: who is the person your room would least like to see taking the coats, and would he be welcome?