Tradition 10 · October 24

On the List

Daily Traditions · October 24

How a group breaks it

A group's name on a cause's list of supporters is an endorsement, whatever the group meant by it. It starts as a good night: a barbecue or a dance, the kind the group already throws for its anniversary, with a bucket by the door for a food bank or a family that lost everything. Then the cause thanks its supporters in public, and the group's name sits on a list beside organizations nobody in the group has looked into. Some of them hold positions on drinking laws, on treatment funding, on religion. A.A.'s own statement about itself, printed in pamphlet P-17 (p. 36), says A.A. "is concerned solely with the personal recovery and continued sobriety of individual alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help" and "does not endorse any causes". An endorsement is a public show of support. The long form gives the reason from the drunk's side (Big Book, p. 565): "The Alcoholics Anonymous groups oppose no one." A name on a supporters' list is a side, and the man still drinking who is on the other one can read that list too. Today it is the sponsor board at a fundraiser, the logo wall at a recovery walk, the community partners page. Test it tonight: search your group's name online and see what list it is on.

Sit with

A group's name on a supporters' list takes a side without anyone saying a word. What list is my group's name on?

Grounded in: P-17, p. 36 (A.A.'s statement about itself); long form, Tradition 10 (Big Book, p. 565).

Tradition 10

"Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy."

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 10 → Get the app →

← October 23Naturally Aggressive People Tradition 10All of October October 25 →In the Name of A.A. and Our Group

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).