I love Arthur S and his work, don't get me wrong...
But I re-read this carefully, and I have real problems with it.
Arthur is making claims without providing any evidence.
Arthur claims: "It also happens to be the source of
one of
the most enduring myths in AA. I don't know what else to
call the myth other than the Akron drug addict who didn't exist."
Evidence?
Arthur claims: "Parts of the story are
often erroneously
intermingled with another incident that occurred 8 years
later in 1945"
Evidence?
Arthur was quite the contrarian, and enjoyed proving wrong what he
considered "AA folklore". I believe in this instance he found some
inconsistencies in the AA literature, and jumped to conclusions
about it.
I suggest we label this one a mystery rather than a myth. I don't
think there is enough evidence either way.
James in Dallas
On 4/2/2022 4:25 PM, Bruce C wrote:
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In the "12&12" Tradition 3 essay (pgs 141-142) it
states that on the
AA calendar it was "year two" of the Fellowship - that
would be 1937. A prospective member asked to be
admitted who frankly described himself to the "oldest"
member as "the victim of another addiction even worse
stigmatized than alcoholism." In an April 1968 open
meeting at the General Service Conference, Bill W
revealed
that the prospective member's so-called "addiction"
was "sex deviate" and that guidance came from Dr Bob
(the oldest member in Akron, OH) asking, "What would
the Master do?" Many people think Bill W said that but
he didn't.
The member with the so-called "addiction" was
admitted and plunged into 12th Step work. This
incident is also discussed in Dr Bob and the Good
Old-timers (pgs 240-241) and the pamphlet The
Co-founders of Alcoholics Anonymous (pg 30). Parts of
the story (particularly the part about the "addiction"
and plunging into "12th Step work") are often
erroneously intermingled with another incident that
occurred 8 years later in 1945 at the 41st St
clubhouse in NYC.
The 1945 incident is described in the book "Pass It
On" (pgs 317-318). Bill W was called from the
clubhouse in NYC by Barry L (he was the member who
later wrote the book "Living Sober"). Bill persuaded
the group to take in a black man who was an ex-convict
with bleach? blond hair, wearing women's clothing and
makeup. The man also admitted to being a "dope fiend."
?When asked what to do about it, Bill posed the
question, "did you say he was a drunk?" When answered
"yes" Bill replied "well I think that's all we can
ask."
Word of mouth accounts often erroneously, and
sometimes very, very solemnly, say that this
individual ?went on to "become one of the best 12??
Steppers in NY." The problem is that it's just not
true. In actual fact, the book Pass It On (pg 318)
states that "although he soon disappeared (repeat
"soon disappeared") his presence created a precedent
for the 3 rd Tradition."
Yours in History
and fellow History lover
?
Bruce Cleaver
