When I was first introduced to SA several years ago, our group followed the literature, procedure, and sobriety definition as it stands in the white manual. I followed that wholeheartedly and, at times, even painfully. The result has been a long time sobriety.

I now live in an area where there has been for some time an unprecedented opposition to our sobriety definition as I learned it and by adherence to which I have maintained my sobriety in communion with the other SA units throughout our country.

I have become aware and alarmed that some of the basic handouts printed in the name of our SA area are at variance with the standard national copyrighted material and are indeed adulterated documents.

For some time there has been belligerence and militant opposition to our original sobriety definition as it stands using the machinery of the local intergroup and group representatives sympathetic to their views, they were able to alter the definition by adding the phraseology “committed relationship” after the word marriage.

This would allow for liaisons not envisioned by the original definition and would ascribe authentic sobriety to a cohabitation of either orientation and elevate that cohabitation to be on the same par with marriage.

This then became explained as the “area sobriety definition” with much disparagement heaped upon the national definition as: “unenlightened, medieval, insensitive, too Catholic and homophobic.”

Under such a perception, the area intergroup went a step further and, on its own, subtracted the word marriage from our standard definition and replaced that word with committed relationship. In the ensuing mutual monologues, marriage was severely criticized and denigrated and included as only one option and variable under the umbrella of “committed relationship.”

When such variance was made known to Central Office, the office made it quite clear to the group it had no authority to alter the literature and definition. Countering Central Office’s pleas with rebuff, the local group representatives began a battle to extend its views all across the nation, by means of an “International Group Conscience.”

Members of this IGC assemble without Central Office approval and apparently support the adulterated sobriety definition espoused by one area of our country. It appears that these representatives thoroughly believe that they represent the views of every member of their constituency. I believe that they are much mistaken and deluded and have embarked upon endeavors that violate a very cardinal principle of SA that bids us not to engage in public controversies or political maneuverings.

This controversy takes on the proportions of a maelstrom or hurricane when the few intergroup representatives arrogate to themselves the power to withhold contributions collected in the local meetings from being forwarded to Simi Valley. The portion normally sent to Central Office is now channeled to the ersatz “International Group Conscience” which is bent upon bulldozing all of us into their camp and browbeat the rest of us who will not go along with that.

Meanwhile, the controversy rages behind the scenes. Many of us who desperately need the fellowship for our daily survival find ourselves in an SA that little resembles the one we once joined and within whose embrace we grew into meaningful sobriety. Fellowship becomes fragmented; trust disintegrates. Loyalty to the original principles of SA now brings a subtle ostracism which seems to me to be the very opposite of what an SA group provides its members in support, encouragement, acceptance, and real sobriety.

Sooner or later, the inevitable calamitous cataclysm of reformation or confederate secession will come. Each side struggles to maintain either ideals or accommodations and as in their historical prototypes unbreachable battlements rise to divide us. Emotional scars long outlive both battles and surrenders and all become bruised.

Present tension syphons strength and energy which would be better spent in our efforts to assist each other and to stay sober.…

I prefer not to send my real name and location because of the repercussions it will bring, but I hope you print it to encourage those of us who do not go along with this rebellion.