DayTrader

Everything's subjective, so yes....offensive things are subjective too and that's perfectly fine. Because of this, who leads a table is important. Groups that just pick anyone...even someone who's new..... those tables tend to go all over the place and be about as scattered as the person leading the table.

At my favorite meeting, the group breaks up into about 7 or 8 separate tables - a Big Book table, 1st step, pick-a-step, and several others. Prior to the start of the meeting, whomever is the chairman for that month walks around and picks each table's leader (as well as someone to open the meeting with a prayer, someone to read the steps, and someone to read the traditions).

With this process, we tend to get "qualified" table leaders - folks who've been taught what we consider the best way to lead a table. People are called on by name to share, who is picked and when they are picked to share is important, anyone new will absolutely be asked to share, and the table leader will be someone who has the ability to set aside personal feelings and will make decisions regarding shares based upon the 12 traditions - especially #1, #5 and #10. It also helps that pretty-much everyone there is on the same page as far as what's acceptable and what's not.....even with the subjective component thrown in.

So sure, there's some subjectivity but again, the people calling the shots (the table leader) are folks qualified to make such a call. At the "typical" meeting where it's as much a free-for-all as a discussion of the AA message (if that even comes up at all), ya......someone tends to get their feelings hurt and it doesn't work so well. That however, is more a function of how the meeting is run rather than the process being flawed.

vinnietoo

Well said I can't offer any more! Then you shared your ESH.Keep it up.
Vinny