Tradition 11 · November 21

Well, Why Not

Daily Traditions · November 21

The threat

An earlier break than the film star's, and a harder one, because Bill had said yes to it. Pass It On is direct about why: "Her case was a particularly sensitive one, because she was a close personal friend of Bill's. In addition, Bill strongly supported her work in alcoholism education." Marty M. was going out to tell the public that alcoholics are sick people and that something can be done for them — work Bill believed in and had encouraged — and she was formidable at it. "Marty made excellent newspaper copy as she toured the country." Bill's own account of how it started (A.A. pamphlet P-17) does not spare him. "A close A.A. friend of mine wanted to go in for alcohol education. A department of a great university interested in alcoholism wanted her to go out and tell the general public that alcoholics were sick people, and that plenty could be done about it. My friend was a crack public speaker and writer. Could she tell the general public that she was an A.A. member? Well, why not?" Well, why not. "I thought it an excellent idea and therefore gave my blessing." The uproar that followed was the Fellowship's. The permission had been his.

Sit with

Bill encouraged the work, gave the permission, and then the Fellowship's anger landed on her rather than on him. When did I approve something and let somebody else carry what came of it?

Grounded in: Pass It On (Marty M.); P-17, p. 52.

Tradition 11

"Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films."

Read the Long Form (pp. 563–566). The short form on pp. 561–562 is the one everybody quotes — but the Long Form is where the Traditions actually say what they mean. Tradition 3's "no other affiliation" clause, for instance, exists only in the Long Form. That single clause is why no treatment centre can own an A.A. group. Most of what circulates online skips it.

And a distinction worth keeping straight: the Traditions are governance, not theology. They bind A.A. groups and the Fellowship — not individuals, and not outside businesses. They were adopted in 1950 to keep A.A. from being owned or co-opted. They are not a rulebook for your personal life.

What the Traditions actually say → The Long Form, p. 563 → Search the Big Book → Every day this month →

Ask Recovery Einstein about Tradition 11 → Get the app →

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Daily Traditions is an independent educational resource from Recovery Starts — not official A.A. literature, not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, and not medical advice. The Twelve Traditions are the property of A.A. Page references are to Alcoholics Anonymous (the Big Book), 4th Edition: short form 561–562, long form 563–566. If you're in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).