Re: AA's size

[Guest guest]

Yes, there is TONS of it. The whole codependency movement has really

stopped thinking in terms of individual problems, and has turned to a

consideration of " society as addict. " The " treatment " for " addicted

society " is, of course, " a spiritual recovery program. " Look at mary

riley's CORPORATE HEALING, 1990, for example - she offers a 12-step

solution to corpation executives as a " solution " for the employee problems.

Or how about the books by Wegscheider-Cruse, a little fascist corporate

" consultant " pushing " mandatory treatment " for " codependency " as a solution

to poor employee performance (she and her reactionary husband actually

state that 12-step programs are a solution to the threat of unions!). And

you don't want to miss Anne Schaef (The Addictive Organization, When

Society Becomes an Addict, etc.) All of this is nothing but fascism, very

thinly disguised. Consider this, for example, from a book by a J. S.

, a British fascist (Fascism, 1931, Henry Holt): " If all fascists

are not as yet fervent believers in a divine transcendent Providence, all

fascists have at least a will, a thirst to believe in such a One; all

fascists have a reverence for the supernatural and are resolved that new

generations shall be brought up in a religious atmosphere and be protected

from the dissolving poison of materialism in all its forms. Fascism is

resolved to build up a generation of believers, as the only way out of the

present chaos, cost what it may. " (p. 43) By the way, did you know that

the Oxford Groups, at the time Bill W. was a devoted member, used Mein

Kampf as a textbook for spiritual healing!! And, of course, Bill W. was

violently anti-Roosevelt, and violently anti-labor union. Alcohol abuse

was one " dissolving poison " the fascists focused on; they were very

aggressive in attacking " drunks, " " dope addicts, " and other " degenerates. "

What annoys me so much today is that all of this is so obvious. Pick up

any book on fascism - you find spiritual revolution and the " spiritual "

cure for society's ills. Fascism's metaphor was overwhelmingly that of

" spiritual healing. " Pick up any book by today's codependency gurus, you

find authoritarian " spirituality. " The history of AA leads back to

fascism, plain and simple, via Buchman. Our government today is ACTING in

a clearly fascist manner, and justifying it via the " addiction " myth -

police raids, new prison construction, the bill of rights torn in shreds.

Yet, even the " expert " dissidents from the AA movement, give us only

careful, careerist prose, that is meant to appeal to another segment of the

market for repressive technologies. Damn it, folks. Wake up, before it is

too damn late!-------

To: paul diener

Cc: 12-step-freeegroups; Bufe@...

Subject: Re: AA's size

Date: Sunday, November 22, 1998 2:49 AM

Hi ,

Okay now your arguments beginning to make more sense to me,

tho I'm still not convinced about AA growing. Think I'll

check out Room's stuff and have a look at the methodology &

see how sound it is. Also, any sources documenting the role

adult victim groups in bolstering the status of XA as a

solution for societies ills?

Jim Yelverton

paul diener wrote:

> AA's " presumbably accurate " survey data?!? What?!? WHAT?!? Every

assessment I have seen (including those of Robin Room and his group)

describes the AA survey data as NOT accurate, and to be used only with

great caution. You say you accept my contentions that AA is linked to the

treatment industry, and that the treatment industry is one force behind the

Clinton administration'ss current push to massively increase federal

funding for (coercive) AODA " treatment. " Hence, you must also admit that

AA has a strong motive to dissimulate. As I said earlier, critique of Room

must be based upon an assessment of the methodology; it is not legitimate

to reject results just because one does not like them. It should also be

noted that the topic of AA's influence is really not central to an

assessment of the 12-Step movement. Impetus in the movement has long

since passed to other, more radical, organizations, whose agendas are much

more angry. Especially, new forces!

> , who claim to be the victims of the " addicted, " rather than " addicted "

themselves, have risen to the fore. It is from such groups that

(fascistic) proposals for sweeping social change now mostly emanate (eg,

Adult Children, codependents, and even related organizations like MADD,

etc.). From these quarters come the argument that the innocent middle

classes are being threatened and injured by the sinful behavior of deviants

and the underclass. The homeless are all drunks and dopers, the unemployed

are addicted to pleasure, drunken drivers and " crack " infected criminals

threaten the property and safety of respectable people, etc. Hence, law

and order must be restored, a massive war on drugs must be carried out, a

spiritual dictatorship must be imposed. This is the tidal wave that

engulfs the nation, growing ever stronger. You, meanwhile, calmly assure

us that the 12-Step trend (a direct product of the fascist movement of the

1930s) is in abatement,!

> that the danger is receeding, and that we can all breath easy - at

least, so long as books such as your own continue to sell well. This is an

opportunistic line of argument, which appeals mostly to providers of

alternative " addiction treatment " services (medication-focused

psychiatrists, social workers not 12-Step certified, clinical

psychologists, etc.) These groups fight with the 12-Step Movement for

market share; they offer alternative strategies for repressing " problem

people. " Obviously, though, such critiques must always be " moderate, "

since the goal is to curry favor with the corporate and government cash

cows. My purpose is different. We face a real, terrible, and imminent

danger of totalitarian oppression in this country. The " recovery movement "

is one guise the rising tide of fascism has assumed. It needs to be

exposed. As for criticizing you personally, I don't even know you

personally, and could care less. It is your ideas!

> , and lukewarm appreciation of the threat, that I find objectionable and

dangerous.

>

> -----------------------------------------------------------

>

[Guest guest]

Kayleigh - Contact The ACLU and ask for their publications on the WAr On

Drugs, and its massive assault on civil liberties. Also, don't miss the

Pittsburg newspaper series on totalitarian tactics now being used by

federal prosecutors (see my earlier post). Regarding other forms of

repression, read Pat on's various books on " spiritual revolution, "

and especially his analysis of alcohol and drug problems. But all of this

is at a very preliminary stage. Check Lester Thurow's book, The Future of

Capitalism, for an idea of what is coming. Thurow, at MIT, is one of the

nation's most respected economist, and a major advisor to the " new

Democrats, " including the Clinton administration. He predicts massive

economic meltdown, inevitably. His view of salvation? He speaks highly of

Singapore!

----------

>

> To: 12-step-freeegroups

> Subject: Re: AA's size

> Date: Tuesday, November 24, 1998 11:51 AM

>

> Diener wrote:

>

> " We face a real, terrible, and imminent danger of totalitarian oppression

in this country. "

>

> What form does will this totalitarian oppression take?

>

> " The " recovery movement " is one guise the rising tide of fascism has

assumed. "

>

> What are the others?

>

> -----

> See the original message at

/list/12-step-free/?start=895

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