CAL vs. non-CAL . . .
our Group Conscience and the 4th Tradition
The members of ASP took a group conscience in the very beginning to make
our online meeting as much like a face-to-face meeting as we could. While other online meetings were openly trying to force their way into the Al-Anon service structure, we specifically chose to take a conservative & non-confrontational approach. We followed the same approach when we made the decision regarding our group policy on the use of non-CAL literature in our meeting.
The use of non-CAL in an Al-Anon meeting is an ongoing problem for all of Al-Anon. Even though this affects all of Al-Anon, it is online where it is more easily abused and therefore more prevalent. We see this issue as one of the primary issues that separates online Al-Anon from face-to-face Al-Anon, not only legally because of copyright issues, but also within the Fellowship.
Again, the membership of ASP chose to not be a part of the problem by not permitting the use of non-CAL in our meeting. Our guidelines specifically states that no quotations of non-CAL are allowed in ASP. Part of the process of joining ASP includes reading those guidelines. Another part of joining ASP included receiving a welcome letter from the List Administrator which among other things contains a list of Do’s and Don’ts. Using non-CAL is listed as one of the Don’ts.
Of course, the problem doesn’t just go away that simply. Members still use non-CAL from time to time. We think that most of the time it is because new members don’t read instructions as if those instructions are something they need to follow. Afterall, it is the alcholics that haven’t been following instructions that got them here in the first place! Usually, some gentle guidance from the List Administrator helps the newer member understand the difference between CAL and non-CAL and how we do not allow non-CAL in our meeting.
There are some members of Al-Anon who believe that it is acceptable to use non-CAL in any Al-Anon meeting, and therefore it is acceptable to use non-CAL in the ASP meeting. They do not believe that ASP has the right to take a group conscience on this issue and refer to a section in the Al-Anon Service Manual that they think supports their belief. This belief is mistaken; I have posted the text of Ric B.’s response to my letter regarding these differences of interpretation.
In conclusion, as a result of a group conscience, the policy at ASP is that non-CAL is not permitted in the ASP meeting; no quotation of any non-CAL is allowed.
Love and SERENITY in Service,
Steve Rankin
Founder & List Administrator, ASP
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October 31, 2005
Dear Steve,
Thanks for taking the time to write to the WSO. Please note that this response is based upon my perception of what I believe you are asking. Is the question: Can members in an on-line meeting use a brief excerpt from non-CAL literature as a part of their personal sharing? If so, what constitutes brief?
Members can use brief excerpts from non-CAL literature as a part of their personal sharings unless the group conscience of the meeting specifically excludes all non-CAL sharings. See below for further discussion as to the rights of the meeting to modify or limit what can be shared in a meeting. “Brief” would be similar to the limitation placed on CAL sharings. CAL is limited to one paragraph. While in F2F meetings, members do frequently paraphrase when using brief non-CAL excerpts, in on-line meetings, I’m sure the tendency it to type it exactly word for word. The member sharing needs to adhere to copyright laws in terms of reprint permission which the WSO can not give for non-CAL use. Generally the rule is 50 words plus or minus under an application of the Fair Use Doctrine. What most members don’t understand is that speech is not regulated in the same manner as the written word. Written sharings in an on-line meeting are similar to publishing and must adhere to stricter requirements. Each member would be responsible for obtaining permission to quote prior to using in the meeting, however if the meeting routinely permits this it must create some system to ensure that members have in fact obtained the permission. Most publishers will not give unlimited permission to quote from their works and there are now spiders out there which seek out copyright violations. This could pull the meeting and Al-Anon as a whole into public controversy.
The other question that you appear to be asking is, can an on-line meeting set guidelines for sharing that are less than the minimums set in the licensing letter? In other words, is it within the autonomy of an on-line meeting to exclude outside literature entirely as well as limit the use of CAL in the meeting to less than a paragraph?
Yes is the answer to both questions. Our licensing letter for use of CAL in on-line meetings states on page two:
“It is within the autonomy of the meeting to decide which CAL publications it will use and which it will exclude, provided the terms of the above license are not altered, e. g. a Step meeting could agree to use only CAL material on the Steps. It can also agree to limit the number or length of sharings provided that they do not exceed the one paragraph, per member, per meeting limit.”
This would clearly imply that if a meeting can limit whether it will use CAL on-line and how much CAL it will permit, it can certainly limit the amount of non-CAL. Further for the reasons given above regarding potential copyright violations which might create controversy, it is certainly within the autonomy of the meeting to limit its use. Many on-line meetings and well as F2F groups do not use excerpts from CAL in the meeting, preferring to limit sharings to personal sharings on experience, strength, and hope.
The final point to remember is that the decision to include or exclude certain types of literature, including the length of a CAL sharing, must be decided by group conscience. If the meeting already has addressed this, then the group conscience prevails until another group conscience is taken.
Hope this helps. Thanks again for writing to the World Service Office.
Ric Buchanan
Executive Director
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From: Steve Rankin [mailto:steve@serenitysys.com]
Sent: Monday, October 24, 2005 11:50 PM
To: Ric Buchanan
Subject: CAL question
Hi Ric,
I’ve got a CAL/Tradition question that I would like to run by you personally. This particularly pertains to online meetings, such as the A Serenity Place (ASP) meeting that I started not long after our mutual friend Don R started CAFG.
Our meeting has discouraged posting non-CAL since the beginning. Of course, not everyone reads our guidelines so sometimes a member does post something. Recently, we had two situations in the same day. After the second incident, I posted a reminder to the members that we don’t post non-CAL in our meeting and went on to say . . ..
It doesn’t matter how good or seemingly apropos it is, or what kind of disclaimers we post along with it. We simply leave non-CAL outside of our Al-Anon meeting.
Shortly after that, another member posted a note saying . . ..
Al-Anon specifically permits short quotes from non-CAL literature in personal shares; it says so in our Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual. I understand how this particular genie can grow to distressing proportions, particularly in on-line meetings, but mis-stating our fellowship’s principles isn’t the way to handle it either. It’s in the book. Short quotes permitted. Plain English.
So, there’s the essence of the problem in a nutshell.
The other member’s position is based on the reference in the Service Manual to Outside Publications:
There are many outside publications on alcoholism, religion, and philosophy that appeal to members as individuals. Brief excerpts from such material may be part of their personal sharing at meetings.
My interpretation of the second sentence is that members may include a brief paraphrasing of non-CAL as a small part of their share. The reading of a quotation violates the spirit of this exception as does a share that is dominated or exclusively a quotation of non-CAL.
My position on the issue is based on two things. First this piece out of the Service Manual under the title of “use of Material”
“To keep Al-Anon’s message in focus, it is suggested that only Al-Anon/Alateen Conference Approved literature and Al-Anon/Alateen service tools be displayed, distributed, and used at Al-Anon and Alateen meetings, conferences and conventions.”
The second supporting factor is the fact that online meetings are not exactly the same as f2f meetings, and the differences specifically include reading from literature and quotations. While you and I agree that it is better for meetings (f2f or online) to be sharings of experience, strength and hope rather than book reading sessions, we both know that many meetings are largely book reading sessions. As far as I know there are no restrictions or even suggestions in the literature (Service Manual) that limit the extent of reading CAL in a f2f meeting. However, there are highly defined restrictions on the use of CAL in an online meeting; namely that a sharing in an online meeting is limited to a 1 paragraph maximum from specific CAL pieces. Other CAL is not permitted to be used in an online meeting.
My observation is that if the use of CAL in an online meeting is limited to 1 paragraph and a “brief excerpt” could interpreted to be a paragraph or even more, then we have a situation where the use of CAL in an online meeting could be exceeded by the use of non-CAL and still be within the boundaries established in the Service Manual. Obviously, this is not a good situation in itself, and furthermore it would very likely be used by the f2f establishment in Al-Anon to demonstrate how online meetings aren’t Al-Anon.
I believe that that this is a situation where because the fellowship as a whole recognizes that online meetings are different from f2f meetings specifically in the realm of CAL and quotation, that an online meeting may apply the first half of the 4th Tradition without abusing the second half by establishing a meeting policy that restricts use of non-CAL such that any quotation of non-CAL is considered unacceptable.
- I think I’ve done the best I can this evening to put my thoughts down in black and white. As always, I’d appreciate your input on this so we can find some resolution that works for both the fellowship as a whole and the online meeting that strives to emulate the f2f meeting as much as possible.
Love in Service,
Steve Rankin
Last updated: 03/14/2012