A this talk of the "hard" old timers doesn't fit my experience. I guess I just about qualify as an old timer and the AA I came into was already well watered down, permeated with amateur therapists who tried to turn it into some kind of group therapy session, without the qualified therapist. It sure was warm and friendly, but often meetings did not bother with such things as the Big Book, or even putting the steps up on the wall. All of that was "suggested", but. you know, take your time, maybe one step a year, just keep coming back and everything will be fine.
Because we had a national treatment center close by, we had a constant parade of new faces. It made AA seem like grand central station, full of people who were going somewhere, and they were, mostly back out. When that treatment center closed our membership dwindled. Our fellowship now is about the same size it was when I came in, though the population of our city has almost doubled.
There were a few old timers who dared to tell the truth, brave enough to put principles before popularity. I am glad I listened to them. By some stroke of good fortune I found an AA recovered alcoholic to sponsor me, and I recovered.
But the main thing I remember about the old timers back then, (as distinct from the regular membership)the ones I knew all died sober, was their sense of humor and their refusal to take themselves too seriously. I don't know about political correctness, but they loved a good laugh, and they really did care about the newcomer.