Tradition 9 · September 11

Let Him Stay

Daily Traditions · September 11

The threat

Nobody stands at the door of an A.A. meeting deciding who gets in. That was settled by the drunks who tried it. Early Cleveland had men posted for exactly that job — other members called them the "snifters," which an early member explained were "men who stood by the door, sniffing each man who came in" (Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers). Sniffing for liquor. Behind them stood the rules: you had to be hospitalized first, or visited by ten members, or passed by a committee. Then a man walked in with a couple of drinks in him. The snifters moved to throw him out, and somebody said: "Let him stay. Maybe something will seep in." He stayed. He got sober, "just as sober as the fellow who had been hospitalized or visited by ten members, there went another rule. In the end, pioneer A.A.'s broke so many of their own rules that there were no rules left!" That is where the open door came from. So when a programme puts an assessment, an intake, or a sign-off between you and a chair, understand what it is: the snifters, back at the door. The alcoholic still drinking is the whole reason the room exists. A.A. learned not to make him qualify for it.

Sit with

A.A. broke its own rules until none were left, because the drunk at the door was the point. Would I have got in the night I came?

Grounded in: Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers.

Tradition 9

"A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve."

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 9 → Get the app →

← September 10The Missing Clause Tradition 9All of September September 12 →Nobody Runs It for Life

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).