Page 9 - The Twelve Concepts for World Service

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ings. They are invited because of A.A.’s “Right of
Participation.” Thus, the trustees and directors “are
put into direct communication with these workers,
who. . . feel wanted and needed. Although they do not
vote, these workers may freely participate.”
Bill warns against the possibility of new delegates
or trustees trying to “weaken, modify or toss out” the
“Right of Participation.” He cites arguments by dele-
gates to take away the trustees’, directors’ and staff
members’ vote at the Conference. “Certainly,” he
says, “our trustees and service workers are not
less conscientious, experienced and wise than
the delegates.”
“It is vital,” he continues, “to preserve the
traditional ‘Right of Participation,’ in the face of
every tendency to whittle it down.”
Finally, there is a spiritual reason for the “Right of
Participation.” All of us desire to belong. In A.A., no
members are “second class.” The “Right of Participa-
tion” therefore reinforces Tradition Two, that no
member is placed in “ultimate authority” over
another. We perform our service tasks better “when
we are sure we belong-when our ‘participation’
assures us we are truly the ‘trusted servants’
described in Tradition Two.”

he principle of “Right of Participation” is built
T into the General Service Conference through the
Conference Charter. Voting members include not only
delegates, but also the trustees, and the directors and
staff members of A.A. World Services (i.e., G.S.O.) and
the A.A. Grapevine.
In the same way, the boards of these two operating
entities include as voting members not only trustees,
but also nontrustee directors and paid administrators
and staff members.
The chairperson of the General Service Board
appoints nontrustee members to the standing commit-
tees in order to have the advantage of their expertise,
and staff members serve as committee secretaries.
“There are no ‘superiors,’ no ‘inferiors,’ and no 'advis-
ers.’” New trustees on the General Service Board and
new directors of the A.A.W.S. and Grapevine boards are
sometimes surprised to see paid executives, staff mem-
bers and outside accountants attending the board meet-