As a sociology major who has read Singer, I know that she specifically states 12 Step programs do not meet several of the important criteria to be a cult.
Originally Posted by Margaret Thaler Singer
From time to time I will also hear someone compare cults to an organization like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or to some other group with a charismatic leader. Again, it is not the one feature - namely, a charismatic leader or adherence to a particular belief system - that cults may share with another group that is crucial; rather, it is the differences that are important. AA does not recruit deceptively, AA does not hide what membership eventually will entail, and members can leave at any point. AA focuses on helping people grow, while cults use their members to promote the growth of the cult and increase the cult leader's power and wealth. Cults are complex structures, and by taking any one point out of context, we can lose sight of the whole.
(Cults in our Midst - Revised Edition page 97 (2003)).
As for any discussion on the First Amendment, my years of study in Constitutional law along with several books I have opened since reading the final post remind me the Constitution applies to the government. As the Supreme Court ruled in Lebron v. National Railroad Passenger Corporation, the ONLY issue discussed was the fact Amtrak was a government entity. Nothing more.
In the future please keep on topic and do not attack the moderators, administrators or owners of SoberRecovery.