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Tommyh · 11-30-2008, 06:37 AM

Bill W wrote about bottoms and last gaspers in a few of his writings.In his own words,he says in the early days they dealt with low bottom cases only.Later on,they found they needed to raise the bottoms to include even younger people,who was scarcely more than potential alcoholics.Thus,they may be spared the last 10-15 years of hell we went thru.He said they obviously found it necessary to raise the bottom the rest of us had hit to the point where it would hit them. By going back in our own drinking histories, we could show that years before we realized it we were out of control, that our drinking even then was no mere habit, that it was indeed the beginning of a fatal progression.

I believe today,that causes much mis-understanding by a lot of people in AA.How many times have we heard or read comments on real alcoholics or hard drinkers/problem drinkers?How many times have we all got caught up in this discussion?Or in the discussion of who belongs in AA and who don`t?

I`m just curious,how do you all feel about Bill raising the bottom to include young,maybe even just potential alcoholics in AA?Did it help them or hurt AA?
Do they have the right to be in AA and get sober?
Do we have trouble today,discerning the difference between the 2?Do the potential alcoholics in AA cause confusion?

I`m going to think on this and come back later...have a good day everyone!

11-30-2008, 06:37 AM	#1 (permalink)
Tommyh Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: N.C. Posts: 18,397	bottoms,real alcoholics and potential alcoholics Bill W wrote about bottoms and last gaspers in a few of his writings.In his own words,he says in the early days they dealt with low bottom cases only.Later on,they found they needed to raise the bottoms to include even younger people,who was scarcely more than potential alcoholics.Thus,they may be spared the last 10-15 years of hell we went thru.He said they obviously found it necessary to raise the bottom the rest of us had hit to the point where it would hit them. By going back in our own drinking histories, we could show that years before we realized it we were out of control, that our drinking even then was no mere habit, that it was indeed the beginning of a fatal progression. I believe today,that causes much mis-understanding by a lot of people in AA.How many times have we heard or read comments on real alcoholics or hard drinkers/problem drinkers?How many times have we all got caught up in this discussion?Or in the discussion of who belongs in AA and who don`t? I`m just curious,how do you all feel about Bill raising the bottom to include young,maybe even just potential alcoholics in AA?Did it help them or hurt AA? Do they have the right to be in AA and get sober? Do we have trouble today,discerning the difference between the 2?Do the potential alcoholics in AA cause confusion? I`m going to think on this and come back later...have a good day everyone!