Sep 4, 2009 – Day 4, Daily Summary – LCF Committee Closing Report

CLOSING REPORT

C.A. WORLD SERVICE CONFERENCE 2009

LITERATURE, CHIPS & FORMAT COMMITTEE REPORT

INTRODUCTION AND OPENING COMMENTS

Our committee has grown considerably at this year’s Conference. We welcomed several new members from the U.S., Canada and U.K. who have afforded our committee a broader and fresh perspective. The LCF committee members are fully engaged and we enjoyed rich, passionate discussion on the two 2008 post-Conference referrals, and eight referrals submitted at this year’s Conference. We are excited and prepared to continue our mission to facilitate the expression of our Fellowship’s hope, faith and courage through the writing of material for distribution.

The status of our projects remains as stated in our opening report except that after reviewing feedback on the SR 14 Draft of the Self-Test, a motion was passed to refer the piece back to subcommittee.

Also, we reviewed our projects chart during committee breakout and restaffed our subcommittees. Many of our subcommittees now have new leads and they are eager to bring new life to these projects. Subcommittees on the Crank/Methamphetamine pamphlet and the Self-Test met at the conference. The main committee and subcommittees have already scheduled their first conference calls, and our work is underway.

Committee Introductions:

Chair: Cynthia Cronkhite
Vice Chair: Jeannette Johnson
Co-Secretaries: Jason Laurence, Julie Polok
Trustee: Trevor Scheible
WSOB Liaison: Patty Flanagan
Additional Members:Cynthia Scheible
Ernest Martin
James Parris
Julie Schwindeman
Keith Frater
Kellie Federici
Kurt Lynn
Mike Seden
Simone Talton
Siobhan Ayer
Susan Doch

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Yves White

COMMITTEE WORK THAT RESULTED IN MOTIONS

Motion: To allow the WSBT the latitude to request permission from A.A. World Services to add “and all other mind-altering substances” after “Remember that we deal with cocaine” in C.A.’s version of How It Works. Second.

Tony Drake: Would you like to speak to your motion?

Cynthia Cronkhite: We are presenting this motion in conjunction with the WSBT. There was a motion made last year about adding this information. We found out that we did not have permission to make these changes. LCF has housekeeping authority and WSBT needs latitude to make this work, leaving it discretionary with the people going to the meeting so that we don’t need to wait until next year to act on it.

Tony Drake: Is there any debate? Prepare yourselves to vote.

Motion carries with substantial unanimity.

Motion: Pending AA approval, the Conference grants the WSBT the authority to insert “and all other mind-altering substances” after “Remember that we deal with cocaine” in C.A.’s version of How It Works. Second.

Tony Drake: Would you like to speak to the motion?

Cynthia Cronkhite: I want to make it very clear that the Trustees have permission to do this so that we don’t have to wait until next year.

Tony Drake: prepare yourselves to vote. Motion carries with substantial unanimity.

Motion: Pursuant to Point 12 of the C.A. Pamphlet Approval Process, motion to approve the Reaching Out card as set forth in Attachment A. Second.

Kevin Murphy: Any debate? Seeing none, motion passes unanimously.

Motion: Pursuant to Point 12 of the C.A. Pamphlet Approval Process, motion to approve the pamphlet “C.A. is for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgendered Addict” as set forth in Attachment B.

Second.

Kevin Murphy: Would you like to speak to your motion?

Siobhan Ayers: The literature has been re-written to be more inclusive. Our primary purpose is to carry the message. We can focus on the similarities rather than the differences.

Jenn Scheible: When we can include people in this it’s amazing.

Jeffrey Ushry: I speak against the motion. I was not here in 2005. This is CA, are we going to come up with literature for the Arab?

Kevin Murphy: You need to speak to why it does not fit with the concept that was passed. Four years ago we had a long, long discussion regarding the concept. We need to discuss why this piece doesn’t fit the concept.

Bill Burmeier: I’m against this motion and perhaps a clearer titled for the piece.

Kevin Murphy: That is out of order.

Keith Frater: I feel there is a need for this. I myself, along with other gay people, come into this program without identity.

Kevin Murphy: 4 years ago we decided this was needed.

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Keith Frater: If this had been on the literature rack when I got here, it would have made me feel more welcome.

Joy Hutcheson: I am in favor of this piece, let’s vote it in today.

Brian Schlenker: I speak against this motion, I felt left out. It’s not all-inclusive, it excludes heterosexuals.

Alan Shields: I speak against this motion. This may be misconstrued that it is only for gay and lesbian addicts.

Gloria Bridget: Call the question.

Second.

Kevin Murphy: At times we do not recognize a motion to close debate early on, so we

will accept the motion to close debate.

We are going to have to count this. The motion fails. 56 to 69 so we will continue with debate.

Cynthia Lauletta: I speak in favor of the motion. I would like to make a friendly amendment to change, to add verbiage, CA is “also” for the bisexual.

Kevin Murphy: That is out of order.

Cynthia Cronkhite: I believe few or minor revisions are acceptable.

Kevin Murphy: They are.

Earnest Martin: I provided this to other addicts and they were ecstatic.

Kevin Murphy: James is next.

James Parris: I call the question.

Kevin Murphy: That is out of order, it’s too soon after the last one.

Susan Doch: I was going to point out that “is” is in italics. The amendment is great. This is a very important piece of literature and thank you.

Jason Laurence: I understand the motion we are speaking about is not whether we should produce it but whether it’s appropriate. It went out in the SR 14 and the feedback has been good. The language is appropriate and has been passed by those who need to pass it. Thank you.

Ian Young: The reason I’m hesitant is because I’m against the motion. I’m actually entirely for the principle titled this, however I do not find the wording of the pamphlet to be concurrent with our other literature. The UK had our assembly and the GSR’s spoke up against the pamphlet and I spoke for it. I’m a heterosexual dressed as a metrosexual. I don’t believe this text should read on the table. What Jason said is right.

Peter DeRaffaele: There is a pamphlet to the deaf and hearing impaired, there is a pamphlet to the newcomer, I don’t think it’s just for the gay person.

Trevor Scheible: Call the question.

Motion carries unanimously.

Kevin Murphy: Bring up the main motion.

Motion: Pursuant to Point 12 of the C.A. Pamphlet Approval Process, motion to approve the pamphlet “C.A. is also for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgendered Addict” as set forth in Attachment B.

Kevin Murphy: With noted opposition the motion carries with substantial unanimity.

Motion: Pursuant to Point 12 of the C.A. Pamphlet Approval Process, motion to approve the revised version of “We Can Recover” as set forth in Attachment C.

Second.

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Kevin Murphy: Would you like to speak to your motion?

Earnest Martin: Yes. This is a revision based on referrals and feedback. We have done our best and it’s easier to read aloud.

Kevin Murphy: Any debate?

Earnest Martin: There is one change I need to speak on. In the fifth paragraph what we inserted was “none of us”.

Kevin Murphy: What you are saying is no one came into CA to find God.

Cynthia Cronkhite: We modified the first sentence, however based on the feedback we have retained the first sentence.

Ian Young: Point of Order – what you are doing is changing a word from step one, ‘that”?

Cynthia Cronkhite: That is to correct the HFC II, the word “that” never belonged there.

Russell Sedman: I speak against this motion. I looked at the third paragraph and elimination of the 2 steps doesn’t fit right with me.

Michael Chiki: I speak against the motion. When you take cocaine out of my readings I do not appreciate it. When you take God out I do not appreciate it. When I can’t see it anymore, I’m not okay with it.

Bob Lemon: I was interested why you transposed the language?

Cynthia Cronkhite: One thing that troubled me it seemed to say, boom, here’s the steps. it was meant to remove some redundancy.

Bob Lemon: Okay.

Rand Signorello: The program is the 12 steps, and I could not support that change. To me there is a natural progression.

Jeffrey Ushry: I speak against the motion. We are going to spend money to go to NY to meet AA to get permission to use cocaine and here we want to take cocaine out. What kind of sense are we making?

Cynthia Cronkhite: Parliamentary Inquiry – Has anyone other than LCF spoken in favor of this motion?

Kevin Murphy: Maybe not.

Mike Seden: It just makes it a little smoother.

Rose Jones: I came into CA because I was a junkie on death’s door. We just saw on the graph cocaine is the highest. This is Cocaine Anonymous. We need cocaine in our literature.

Kelly Federici: We’d like to withdraw the motion.

Kevin Murphy: Any objection from the floor?

Seeing none, the motion is withdrawn

Now is a good time to take a break.

BREAK

REFERRALS THAT RESULTED IN MOTIONS

Referral #5614: To amend the “Who is a C.A. Member?” reading lots of us used a wide variety of mind altering substances. (Add a full stop there) Remove – calling ourselves stoners, tweakers, junkies, or just plain dope fiends.” Continuing this paragraph starting “whether we etc. Basically remove the words “calling ourselves stoners, tweakers, junkies, or just plain dope fiends.” Add a full stop before the word “whether.”

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a. MOTION: To revise the first paragraph of “Who is a C.A. Member?” as follows:

While the name “Cocaine Anonymous” may sound drug-specific, we wish to assure you that our program is not. Many of our members did a lot of cocaine; others used only a little, and some never even tried coke. We have members who drank only on occasion, those who casually referred to themselves as drunks, and others who were full-blown alcoholics. Lots of us used a wide variety of mind-altering substances, calling ourselves stoners, tweakers, junkies or just plain dope fiends. Whether we focused on a specific substance or used whatever we could get our hands on, we had one thing in common: eventually we all reached a point where we could not stop.

Julie Polok: I speak for this motion; this reading is to make it clear to new prospects and to existing members that we are not a drug specific fellowship; we are members of C.A if we say we are. Therefore the use of specific language used by individual groups of addicts is felt to be full of conflict. Some of the terms used are American slang and have absolutely no meaning in several areas. The use of the terms tweekers & dope fiends is confusing, creates an air of disunity. As time goes by the terms in the reading will become outdated.

Removing this line takes out the differences that we can focus on. Tradition 1 states, our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon C.A. unity. I believe removing this line includes countries instead of excluding them with words they cannot understand, that are not used in their language. In the UK, we do not understand the words stoners & tweakers, I’m sure this does not just apply to the UK.

It is also understood that many prospects did not think of themselves as addicts, in any form, prior to becoming members of our fellowship.

Kevin Murphy: any other debate?

Michael Chiki: I speak against the motion. Understand the Cocaine Anonymous is a world-wide fellowship and there are many languages used. I was a tweeker, stoner and I still call myself that and I get a laugh out of that today. Readings such as this one help me to identify my disease and feel at home. It never felt at home. When I came here and I read our stuff, I never had a solution until I did. I got the solutions in the readings, 12 steps. I take issue when we change readings and make them “PC” in my opinion. I’m all for Cocaine Anonymous being in all languages but there probably is a word for any word. Everyone will be able to identify. That’s why I stay here, how I got here.

Vonya Quarles – speak against the motion. Perhaps adding other words to be more inclusive. I don’t believe removing words that we are familiar with in order not to turn off others is the answer.

Kelly Lynch: speak against the motion. These are awful nice terms for what I was! We had a meeting with H&I last night and used a lot of these words and people seemed to related to these words.

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Russell Sedman: speak in favor of the motion. I’d like you to pause for a moment and see where CA is growing these days. Why we are growing is because of our all inclusiveness. Will the new guy in England be able to identify with “dope fiends?”

Simone Talton: speaking for the motion. I have thought a lot about this and after awhile, I won’t know what the slang is anymore. I would like to see this stand the test of time. If the language isn’t there, then my friend and I can identify ourselves however we want to but the pamphlet will be generic.

Jason Laurence: speaks in favor of motion. We may be losing track of the purpose of this document. It’s not “Who is a Cocaine Addict?” All those who identify as tweekers and a lot of people who come into the rooms, they don’t even identify themselves as addicts. Fellowship to be all inclusive. We don’t need that very specific language in this document.

Paul Mears: speak in favor of motion. A lot of young people coming into the fellowship in UK and this document will be outdated quickly.

Brian Tenenbaum: speak in favor of motion. Something about “our” common welfare should come first. I’m not really seeing much change in terms of substance by taking that out. I understand that if they don’t understand in England, they probably won’t in Germany, Holland, etc.

Cynthia Cronkhite: speak in favor of motion. Reason for presenting the whole paragraph so you can see in context. Personally, I believe it strengthens the pamphlet. There are all these things that come along that we would have to endlessly tack on. This reading allows people who hear this in a meeting feel that they belong in that room. This went out in SR 14 last year. I believe that UK Area doesn’t meet every month. I believe that if they had, this language never would have been passed through last year. Since we are becoming such a worldwide fellowship, we need to make sure that people belong here.

Kellie Federici: speak in favor of the motion. When this got produced, I was excited. I thought the lines were just great and I am selfish and self-centered and I thought it was about me. But working on this in committee, I realized that many people don’t even know what they mean. We want to give you the best reading possible and a vote “yes” is saying that CA deserves the best, the most inclusive and most acceptable pieces of literature. The terms are antiquated. This committee has done that with this motion.

Gloria Bridget: speak against the motion. I was on the floor when we worked on “We Can Recover” and how excited everybody was then. I love the UK. I don’t have any problem with it and every time we turn around, we have to hear that nobody understands. I don’t understand why we work hard and then we come back and work as hard to undo the work that we have done.

Gary Parker: speak against the motion. I love what is going on here with our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world. A lot of you might consider me a whipper snapper because I don’t even know what a brown bottle is used for. But I kept coming back.

Rand Signello: speak against the motion. I would support this if you would take out “drunks.”

Siobhan Ayer: Call to question. Second.

Kevin Murphy: Requires 2/3 vote. Motion passes with substantial unanimity.

Mona Ibrahim: Parliamentary Inquiry – everytime we do this, count the votes, we lose votes. Can’t we call for division of votes?

Kevin Murphy: We will continue to do it this way.

Mona Ibrahim: The integrity of the vote is being questioned. Can we count every vote?

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Kevin Murphy: That would take too much time. Your Parliamentary Inquiry was answered.

Motion passes 80-60.

Referral #5742: That a pamphlet be created, that would replace the hearing loss pamphlet. That would address the entire scope of disabilities including sight, hearing, mobility, cognitive, chronic pain, and organ dysfunction disabilities. This may be important with respect to ADA or other disability rights legislation.

a. Motion: To approve the concept of a pamphlet on recovery for the disabled. Second.

Kevin Murphy: Before you start debate, I will speak about approving concept of a piece of literature. This is the first step in a long process in getting a piece published. speak to your motion?

Kurt Lynn: speak in favor of the motion. I believe that many of us had a problem with feeling like we didn’t fit in. I had a problem hearing and I have a 40% hearing loss and I have to focus hard hearing what is going. While this is still focused on deaf/hearing impaired. Helen Keller said that when you are blind, you lose things. When you are deaf, you lose people. People experience the same separation. Some medical illness, disability, remain severe complication and just plain hard. We want to create a pamphlet and reach out to people with disabilities and bring them into these rooms. Welcome and accommodate them so that we can communicate with them and help them achieve recovery.

Jenn Scheible: speak in favor of motion. This is to approve the concept. When it goes through the 89 step process, we can do what we do. I’m not going to stand here and debate what should be in it.

Jay Parker: speak against the motion. Hard to do so without appearing harsh or dispassionate. One of the things is that when we speak to such a wide range of disabilities, what kind of burden does it put on the Home Group. We had a large hearing impaired group in our group and had to pay for sign language interpreter. I think that we need to be selective with our literature because of cost and don’t know if we have thought through those things.

Simone Talton: speak in favor of a concept. I would like to see a meeting list and see where I can get to a meeting that I am going to have access to and I can hear and see. I would like this body to explore how best to present this the disabled.

Dot Thompson: speak in favor of motion. There are a lot of times when I go places to meetings, conventions, I want them to say they are handicapped accessible. I would like CA to be more open to handicapped people.

One of the people I follow in service is handicapped. He motivates me to do whatever I can. It will help us that aren’t get off our behinds and do more.

Kelly Lynch: Speak in favor of motion. I have 5 of these things happen to me when you get old. Dot, myself, Simone – we had to have our own meeting. This is very important. I have a handicap access at my group. If we do this, they will get there.

Trevor Scheible: speak in favor of motion. I was very privileged to be on floor when we approved the “GLBT” pamphlet. The simple fact is what we are asking here is the approval of a concept to develop a piece. We already have the one about communicating with the hard of hearing/deaf, we are wanting one more tool to help us spread the message and help everyone that needs us and everyone who needs us feels

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at home. We need every tool that we can get. Every dealer out there is doing everything they can to keep us sick.

Cynthia Cronkhite: this is Kurt’s referral. Recovery is about growing in understanding and effectiveness. Unless I understand, I don’t know how I can be more effective to get the message to them. I sprained my ankle last year and a bunch of meetings are all upstairs and I didn’t realize how hard it would be to get to a meeting. Many of our meeting schedules don’t even say whether we are wheelchair accessible.

Jason Laurence: Call to question. Second. Motion carries unanimously to end debate. Motion carries unanimously.

REFERRALS OR ITEMS TABLED UNTIL NEXT YEAR; AND ITEMS THE COMMITTEE WILL CONTINUE WORKING ON THROUGH THE YEAR

Referral #5883: I would to ask for a consideration on striking the words “your disease” from the suggestion participation mtg. format and suggested step study mtg. format. It is my belief that those people courageously walk-in after one minute to 30 days of sobriety might not be ready to admit their disease as of yet.

Referral #6129: It is requested that changes to the Newcomers pamphlet be prioritized. It is understood that a referral was placed in 2007 (Referral #4760), and a motion by the LCF Committee put forward in its report. However, there does not appear to have been any movement on that referral. The request is that changes be made to have the pamphlet be generally more inclusive.

Referral #6168: We are 25 years old and many issues continue to arise regarding copyright issues. There are two items of concern.

Write our own CA Preamble.
Write our own “How It Works.”

Please give consideration of the whole fellowship.

REFERRALS OR ITEMS REFERRED TO OTHER COMMITTEES; WORLD SERVICE OFFICE, OR BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Referral # 6269: I would like to see colored yearly coins – is this possible?

Referred to: WSO.

REFERRALS THAT DID NOT RESULT IN MOTIONS

Referral #5949: Please put young people’s pamphlet in process.

Response: We appreciate your contribution to this project. The piece is already in the C.A. Pamphlet Approval Process at Point 5.

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Referral #6046: It is suggested that the “self test for cocaine addiction be retained in its current form. For purposes of inclusivity and to afford the required level of identification, that several new pamphlets be created for the self test of crack, heroin, meth amphetamine, marijuana, prescription drugs, and alcohol addiction. It is hoped that if the current self test for cocaine’s addiction is used as a template, the work to produce their further pamphlets should not prove to be a prohibitively arduous process. If the self test for cocaine addiction is turned into a generic test then it may be of little use for anyone “self test” for what?

Response: A motion was passed to refer the Self-Test back to subcommittee. The maker of this referral has volunteered to serve as the lead on that subcommittee.

Referral #6048: CA members from my local district have written the attached document, as a statement to be read out at the beginning of some of their meetings. Originally, this was to address 13^th stepping, although in its latest draft it does much more. Please could the LCF review and edit this document to compliment our literature, using recognized language and phrases. I am happy to address this referral in person and let you know more about its history.

“Personal Conduct Statement

Tradition five tells us that each group has but one primary purpose; to carry its message to the addict who still suffers. With that in mind this group also believes we should respect and be mindful of the fact that members of CA, particularly newcomers, may feel vulnerable. The members of this group continue to ensure that this meeting is a safe place to be.

However, if you feel victimized, bullied or subjected to unwanted sexual attention, please let one of the group members know. Will the group members please identify themselves?

When at a meeting, ask ourselves:

Do I remember the primary purpose of the group – to carry it’s message to the addict/alcoholic who still suffers, not to carry the still suffering addict out of the rooms through inappropriate behaviour?
Does my conduct represent the person God would have me be or am I letting self-will run the show?
Am I mindful of the fact that newcomers arrive emotionally and spiritually bankrupt, often without the experience of a sober relationship or the courage to say “no”?

Please be respectful of your own recovery and that of your fellow members. Remember that unity and our common welfare come first.

Response: No action taken because we believe this falls under group autonomy.

Referral#6203: To Create or modify the attached as another workbook or tool to be used by the Conference delegates or fellowship.

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” COCAINE ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES
Cocaine Anonymous
12 & 12 Inventory
12 Traditions & 12 Concepts
© CAWSO, Inc. 2009 All Rights Reserved.
Contents
Traditions Concepts
Tradition 1 Page 2 Concept 1 Page 14
Tradition 2 Page 3 Concept 2 Page 15
Tradition 3 Page 4 Concept 3 Page 16
Tradition 4 Page 5 Concept 4 Page 17
Tradition 5 Page 6 Concept 5 Page 18
Tradition 6 Page 7 Concept 6 Page 19
Tradition 7 Page 8 Concept 7 Page 20
Tradition 8 Page 9 Concept 8 Page 21
Tradition 9 Page 10 Concept 9 Page 22
Tradition 10 Page 11 Concept 10 Page 23
Tradition 11 Page 12 Concept 11 Page 24
Tradition 12 Page 13 Concept 12 Page 25