12 Traditions                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       The Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Tradition One: Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. Unity. Tradition Two: For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority- a loving God as He may express   Himself Tradition Three:The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking. Tradition Four: Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole. Tradition Five: Each group has but one primary purpose- to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers. Tradition Six: An A.A. group ought never endorse,finance,or lend the A.A.name to any related facility or outside enterprise,lest problems of money,property,and prestige divert us from our primary purpose. Tradition Seven: Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting,declining outside contributions. Tradition Eight: Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever non-professional,but our service centers may employ special workers. Tradition Nine: A.A. as such,ought never be organized;but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve. Tradition Ten: Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy. Tradition Eleven: Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion;we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press,radio,and films. Tradition Twelve: Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.