The one area I have a problem with CAL is with the Big Book in Al-anon. The idea that the Book that originated the 12-steps is NON-CAL or that it "muddy's the water" does not sit well with me. And I do not buy the "party-line" of it not being primary focus. Most other groups OA, NA etc have had no problem and have great success with it as PART of their tools. I (and many others) used it especially in conjunction with Step 4.
While I realize that each group is autonomous & therefore I adhere to not reading from it in Al-Anon meetings. I do not have to like it. That's what acceptance is. Al-anon is about honesty and choices and some literature is merely not accepted due to parliamentary red-tape..like "When Love is Not enough". WSO sent out material "suggesting" how groups might make announcements to alert members to its existence and even contained channels and showing times of the film..(which most groups took as an unofficial endorsement) it could not be considered CAL because there was no time to take & talley the required votes prior to its release.
It should also be noted that Finances always enter in to the picture. IF WSO sanctioned other material (such as recovery guru Melody Beattie's works) revenue would suffer and this would not be prudent. It is another reason they are involved in copyright issues with on-line groups at present. We might do well to look at our sister organizations like AA (who publish the Big Book on-line FREE of charge) and check our motives and review our policies about determining what/why something is considered CAL or not.
As others here have stated one thing I love about Al-Anon is I am free to take what I like and leave the rest. I do not have to agree/disagree 100% with anything including WSO policies and I am free to express my opinion and others are free to do the same.
My HG abolished our telephone list due to an issue of misuse by 13th Steppers. I did not agree with that either, yet I abide by the rules of my HG even when I do not fully agree bearing the 1st Tradition in mind.
We have but one authority (a loving God) as He may express Himself in our GC. The ultimate authority for World Services belongs to the Al-Anon Groups (1st Concept). I am free to lobby for change at any time, but I must accept the vote of the groups.