What is freedom in AA?

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Language of the Heart:May 1960.
The Traditions and customs of Alcoholics Anonymous reveal a charter for
individual group freedom,the like of which history has never before
produced.We have no humanly administered government whatever.
Once upon a time there was an AA member who got the notion that his own
group was a little too stuffy,respectable, and intolerant. Hence it
was, he thought, overfearful of the lapses and deviations of its
members. Tongue in cheek,he pondered a remedy. Finally he hung a
placard in the clubroom. It read as follows:"Folk,just about anything
goes in here. But if you happen to be drunk at this meeting,don't be
too noisy about it. And please don't smoke your opium in the club
elevators!"
True,our friend had gone overboard to make out his case. An AA drunk at
an AA meeting is seldom seen,and it's probable that nobody has yet
smoked opium in a clubhouse. Nevertheless any of us can read between
the lines of that placard,and to good effect.
Our prankster was really saying to each the respectable and the
fearful,"But for the grace of God,there go I." To disturbers of the
group peace he was saying,"Nobody can compel you to behave,or punish
you if you do not.AA has Twelve Steps for recovery and for spiritual
growth. It has Twelve Traditions for unity of every AA group and our
whole fellowship.These Traditions show how we can all stay in one
piece,if we will. Now this meeting place cost some money. We hope you
will put some cash in the hat but don't want to make you do it.You can
attack us,but you'll probably find that most of us won't fight back.You
can bust your anonymity in public and missuse the AA name for your own
prestige and pocketbook. If you insist on such foolishness we can't
stop you. The same is true if you drag the AA name into public
controversy. We hope you won't do any of these things to us,or to
yourself. We simply say that you will have to practice AA's principles
because you want them for yourself - not because we insist. The choices
are yours;this is your charter of freedom in AA."