Unity Programme
Unity is the most precious quality our society possesses. Our lives and the lives of all to come depend squarely upon it. Yet unity in GA cannot automatically sustain itself. Like personal recovery, it demands honesty, open-mindedness and, above all, vigilance. In the words of Benjamin Franklin, 'We must hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.' So there can be no sacrifice too great if it will strengthen our essential unity. In maintaining unity we have begun to traditionally practice the following principles:
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Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon GA unity.
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Our leaders are but trusted servants, they do not govern.
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The only requirements for GA membership is a desire to stop gambling.
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Each group shall be self-governing except in matters affecting other groups or GA as a whole.
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GA has but one primary purpose – to carry the message to the compulsive gambler who still suffers.
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GA should never endorse, finance or lend the GA name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
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Every GA group ought to be self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
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GA should remain forever non-professional, but our service centres may employ special workers.
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GA as such ought never to be organised, but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
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GA has no opinion on outside issues, hence the GA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
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Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we must always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, films and television.
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Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of the unity programme, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.
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