Unity is the most precious quality our society possesses. Our lives and the lives of all to
come depend squarely upon it. Yet
unity in GA cannot automatically sustain itself. Like personal recovery, it demands honesty,
open-mindedness and, above all,
vigilance. In the words of Benjamin Franklin, 'We must hang together, or assuredly we shall
all hang separately.' So, there can
be no sacrifice too great if it will strengthen our essential unity. In maintaining unity,
we have begun to traditionally practice the
following principles:
- Our common welfare should come first, personal recovery depends upon G.A. unity.
- Our leaders are but trusted servants, they do not govern.
- The only requirements for G.A. membership is a desire to stop gambling.
- Each group shall be self-governing except in matters affecting other groups or G.A. as a
whole.
- G.A. has but one primary purpose – to carry the message to the compulsive gambler who
still suffers.
- G.A. should never endorse, finance or lend the G.A. name to any related facility or outside
enterprise, lest problems of
money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
- Every G.A. group ought to be self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
- G.A. should remain forever non-professional, but our service centres may employ special
workers.
- G.A. as such ought never to be organised, but we may create service boards or committees
directly responsible to those
they serve.
- G.A. has no opinion on outside issues, hence the G.A. name ought never be drawn into public
controversy.
- Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion, we must always
maintain personal anonymity
at the level of press, radio, films and television.
- Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of the G.A. programme, ever reminding us to place
principles before
personalities.