Stories of the Midtown Group of A.A.

WAIA

THIS WAS SENT BY A FRIEND OF THE PAGE:

Date: December 12, 2006

Title: To the A.A. Member

Please read the following in regard to our local intergroup, WAIA (Washington Area Intergroup Association):

Until today most of the positions at our local area intergroup are held by members who identify their home group as the Midtown Group.

These included elected positions such as Treasurer, as well as volunteer positions such as group representatives. Each month at our WAIA meeting there were approximately 35 A.A. meetings represented; approximately 15 were directly affiliated with the Midtown Group. Over 2,000 A.A. meetings are currently registered in the Washington, D.C.area as of this date. Less than 2% of these meetings are currently represented at the WAIA level, and of that 2%, roughly 35% belong to the pre-identified 15 Midtown Group meetings (IV.I The "Homegroup" & Its Affiliate Meetings, May 3, 2006, CFG News).

Until today The Midtown Group could easily sway any vote that comes to the floor of WAIA, resulting in a gross misrepresentation of the actual group conscience of the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area.

"Intergroup is a central A.A. service office that involves partnership among groups in a community", just as A.A. groups themselves are partnerships of individuals. A central office is established to carry out certain functions common to all the groups... "The A.A. Guidelines from the General Service Office (GSO)"
( http://aa.org/en_pdfs/mg-02_centralorinter.pdf )

The Midtown Group is the "home group" to almost 300 young A.A. members in the Washington, D.C. area. As of today, there are approximately15 active meetings that we have reason to believe the Midtown Group considers "Midtown meetings". We have reason to believe that the Midtown Group is like many formed and organized cults. A.A. suggests that members attend "other meetings during a given week but maintain one meeting as their Home Group." — Reprinted from the June 9, 2006 CFG News posting of "IX.I CFG Believes..." (please refer to CFGNEWS@googlegroups.com for more information).

The Midtown Group appears to be a cult-like offshoot of Alcoholics Anonymous, touting itself as the strongest A.A. message in the area. The Midtown Group recruits new members via hospitals, institutions, and through the local A.A. hotline, and quickly indoctrinates them into their specific way of thinking. To the best of our knowledge and from personal experience, this thinking includes the belief that there is a leader, and that an A.A. group operating under a hierarchical system is proper. The newcomer comes to believe in this group. Certain members have been and are being told what to do, how to live, with whom to have sexual relations, how to spend their money, and how to run their lives. There is a "leader" of this group and his sponsees, along with their sponsees, create a strong hierarchical system.

In January 2006, a disturbing e-mail was distributed. This e-mail was to the presumed leader of the Midtown Group from one of his grand-sponsees, who happens to be a Certified Public Accountant (C.P.A.) and the Treasurer of WAIA, a position that puts him in control of a large amount of local A.A. funds. The e-mail said that its author, the accountant, had received a $1,522 refund on his credit card for a Midtown Group trip. This was a deposit refund. It did not appear that the author informed the trip-takers that this refund was to be expected. He asked the recipient of the email (the presumed "leader" of Midtown) what to do with it.

In this e-mail the recipient requested to use this money for a trip to France.

It was in black and white.

The misappropriations of this money — handled so selfishly and unethically in this email — by the Treasurer of WAIA, frightened many people.

Regarding WAIA's Money:

WAIA produced a letter in March (see below) responding to questions about how the money is handled. Due to the Treasurer's exposed lack of ethics, many people became aware of the possibility of fraudulent use of funds:

From: The Executive Committee of the Washington Area Intergroup Association (W.A.I.A.)

To: A.A. Members

In the past month, an anonymous person has sent several emails to members of our A.A. community, including local Intergroup and G.S.A. officers; G.S.O. staff at the New York office; and editorial staff of the Grapevine. These emails contain allegations that W.A.I.A.'s funds have been mishandled by local A.A. members. Specifically, one email mentioned a $150,000 Certificate of Deposit held by W.A.I.A. and implied that it was inappropriate and dangerous for W.A.I.A to hold on to such a large amount of money.

Here are some facts which can help clarify the issue:

-W.A.I.A. holds two Certificates of Deposit, one for $100,000; one for $10,000. This money is a "prudent reserve" of six months' worth of operating expenses

-This money has sat in C.D. form for over 10 years

-The money was transferred to a new bank this year in order to get a better interest rate

-The proceeds from the C.D. interest go back into W.A.I.A.'s operating budget as income

-Keeping money in a C.D. prevents it from being spent, except in emergency situations

Normally, the W.A.I.A. board of directors would handle a concern like this by contacting the sender and offering an explanation of our financial "checks and balances" (such as having multiple signers on all accounts). We would also encourage the A.A. member to attend our monthly board meeting, where monthly and yearly budget sheets are always made available. Unfortunately, the individual (or individuals) has chosen to remain anonymous, so no such reconciliation has been possible.

Therefore, we are writing this "open letter" to you, the members of our Board of Directors, to address and confront any potential rumors or gossip that may spread as the result of these emails. W.A.I.A. is able to maintain financial independence and integrity because our finances are visible to anyone who cares to participate. Our monthly and yearly statements are available for all members at monthly board meetings. We maintain a prudent reserve in the form of two Certificates of Deposit. We are initiating another full audit at this time to address the concerns mentioned here.

If local A.A. members, especially newcomers, hear that W.A.I.A. is an untrustworthy organization, we will no longer be effective in serving the groups and carrying A.A.'s message to the suffering alcoholic. If you encounter rumors or gossip about W.A.I.A., please take a minute to speak frankly with those involved and share your experiences with them. Also, encourage members to attend our monthly board meeting to gain an understanding of how their A.A. dollar is spent.

Lastly, please remember the long form of the seventh Tradition, which says: "Experience has often warned us that nothing can so surely destroy our spiritual heritage as futile disputes over property, money, and authority." We need the hand of A.A. to be there for our children and our children's children, just as it was for us. Please feel free to contact us if there are any concerns or questions.

-Your W.A.I.A. Executive Committee

It has been reported that the auditor found no improprieties. However it is still important members of local A.A. be informed of what is occurring at their intergroup.

What can I do?

First, get involved. Even though many of the positions at WAIA are held by Midtown Group members, other members of A.A. can change that 35% statistic by making sure their own home groups designate a WAIA representative, a service commitment that only requires attendance once per month (see the GSO pamphlet titled " A.A. Guidelines from the General Service Office"). WAIA meets the second Thursday of every month at 8pm in Grace Episcopal Church, Grace Church Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

Second, look for Hospitals and Institutions (H&I) commitments. This will provide those in treatment seeking the A.A. way with the voice of many, versus hearing only the Midtown Group way of representing A.A .

Third, make sure that you know how money in your area is handled. You have a RIGHT. No treasury from a meeting, an area, or a region should be secretive. Anything that is secretive is dangerous. It has been reported to us that the Midtown Group has adopted the 12-Step saying, "You are only as sick as your secrets." By their own admission, anything that isn't out in the open is not something that is good for us.

Fourth, discuss this with your home group.

Fifth, if you are new in sobriety, talk to people you trust about this. Stay close to people who care about you, and don't drink. Follow the steps and principles in your life, and, just as important, the traditions in your group.

Today, officers were elected for the 2007 WAIA Executive Committee. Through the dedicated work of committed individuals concerned for the welfare and well being of the future of WAIA and AA in the Washington DC area, Midtown Group members no longer influence and dictate policy at WAIA. An executive committee once dominated by members of a single group is no more. This evening various AA intergroup representatives from meetings not affiliated with the Midtown Group were elected to the Executive Committee.

One girl's horrific and popular story, concerning a CULT, known as The Midtown Group.

"hi. so basically i hate midtown, he he — 4th step, yes.

i do not want to write this. It is uncomfortrable and i am really putting myself out there. the only reason i will is becuase i feel bad that i didnt go to the police back then. i feel bad knowing that if i had gone to the police, maybe i could have saved some girl from going through what i went through. maybe i can now.

i was first trying to get clean when i was 17. i had heard about midtown or Q group becasue i had been going to meetings since i was 14, and my sister was in and out too. both of us went to the two pheonix schools. i was warned about it and the first time i went i just wanted to see what it was like.

but they were so nice. they were so pretty, and they all hugged me. thier explinations on how they were not a cult seemed so logical. i mean, they were using the big book to back them up. oh, how words can be manipulated (not that i new that at the time). so i started going more.

my sponcer appointed herself to me, and i was told i had to start dressing a certain way and to cut off my relationships with people outside the group, otherwise i wasnt showing i truley wanted to be clean. a lot of stuff like that happened, but that is not what is important. that stuff is just what everyone has been saying. it is all true though.

what i am about to tell you is a really messed up experience i had while i was there. i have been sitting here for fifteen minutes trying to write this, it is extreemly difficult.i will just tell two stories, but there are more.

one time i found myself trapped in a basement with a group of people that i had been encouraged by my sponcer to hang out with. older guys with a lot of clean time and a really young girl (14 maybe.) they ganged up and tried really hard to seduse me. but i was not into it and i could tell the whole thing had been pre-meditated. they were all in on it. it was really difficult to get out of. i have always been good at taking care of myself, and I am not afraid to say no or fight back for my safety. but they really had me trapped, and they tried every tactic they knew to get me. they related it to the big book and my willingness to stay clean soooo much. I just remember thinking that those guys must think i am an idiot. I got out, and i really remember was being outside in the yard with my arms crossed while they acted so cold and angry with me. when i told people in the group it was minimized and blown off, so i didnt think of it again.

the second experience is the really messed up one. this is what finally got through to me to get the hell out of there.

There was this man Bob, probabbly 60 or something. im sure he is still part of the group — STAY AWAY! I looked up to him so much. he was just a cool dude that had some life experience that i enjoyed listening to. he was my sponcer and her husbands friend, and i was always encouraged to get rides with him to meetings.

one afternoon i was at his house because my sponcer told me i should get dropped off there and then he would bring me to the meeting. We were in the house and he was giving me a tour. i do remember feeling really uncomfortrable, and worried about going upstairs, but stupid me didnt listen to my intuition. He got to his room and pointed to it. i was like, "oh, thats nice" and turned around to walk downstairs. he called me back excitedly to show me something he seemed proud of. i went in and he locked the door. it must have been with a key, becasue i wasnt able to get out. he was big, i am 5'1, and probably 95 lbs at the time. you can guess what happend. worst of all he was my ride to the meeting, and i had to get in the car with him - or his truck, to get to the meeting where i knew i would find my sponcer and be safe. well, got to the meeting, but when i told my sponcer and her husband (who is also a midtowner) they turned around and walked away. no one really liked me after that. not that i was too fond of them either.

but i left, went to meetings elsewhere, and finally got clean. in my past. I never really new if all of the experiences (a lot more than those) only happened to me. I found the blog on Midtown of that guys page (one of the above friends), and i was shocked at how everything that was written was part of my experience there. I am so happy that there is some awareness of the situation. I feel like a giant weight has been lifted just by knowing that i am not alone. thanks guys. let me know if there is anything i can do to help out."

[The Fall of Midtown Myspace moderator replied:]

This is my response to her and all those, that have had to suffer her path.

Mike, you sick fuck; your days are short and numbered. Oh, and as for those that have committed these crimes along side of him, we are most definitely coming for you, as well.

Why do we keep calling them "The Midtown Group"?

One of our writers asked: Why do we all keep calling them "The Midtown Group"?

As one manager for Fall of Midtown, I can see her point. The Midtown meeting (that was on) on P. St (where the Townies used to dominate court, before their behavior got them thrown out) was there for years before Mike Q. stopped drinking, much less before he began contaminating the local AA scene with his personal form of "sober living" ideology, although he frequently dictates that he started that meeting. The truth is that his followers, the Q. group, took over the Midtown meeting, which had served younger alcoholics for years, after a smoking ban pissed many home group members off and they set out for more smoke friendly AA meetings.

Here is our writers letter, as written:

[The Fall Of Midtown moderator wrote:]

The Friends of Bill W. community needs WAIA Intergroup Representatives, for any and all groups w/in area 13, to show up once a month and stand up for Friends of Bill W, or the midtown cult members will take it over again. They realized that they dropped the ball and are re-organizing themselves by making certain that all of their Intergroup Representatives show up from now on and vote on all issues as one, which strongly suggests that they will coordinate their combined efforts to voting as one, on all issues, so that they can manipulate their will on the Friends of Bill W, in Area 13 again. That means that midtown should have no fewer than 18 reps there, every single month, voting as one on what they want to occur (manipulate) in Area 13.

So, call a group conscience in your home group, find out if your home group has a WAIA Intergroup Representative. If not, nominate yourself if you have to and have the group take the nominations/s to a vote. If someone else happens to take the majority of votes, wish her/him well and go to your other home group and repeat this process. Area 13 WAIA meetings should have no less than 150 Intergroup Representatives there, every single month, to conduct an effective meeting. There were less than 45, at the last WAIA meeting... Without an effective meeting, The Q. Group manipulates it's will on Area 13 and the integrity of our life saving program continues to be compromised, all for the financial and sexual gratification of a very few, at the cost of the future Newcomers survival.

Separate individual members, representing different home groups, as Intergroup Representatives, believe that this is the poorest trade of all, and this is where we are making our stand. Please, please come and make your stand here, as well! Don't vote for our groups interests! Don't vote for the Q. Groups interests! Vote as an Intergroup Representative for your home group and make that vote count!

WHAT RECOVERY MEANS TO ME

THIS WAS SENT BY A GOOD FRIEND OF THE PAGE, JEFF, WHO IS ALSO PUNK FRIENDS IN RECOVERY TOGETHER.

13 years ago i came into the rooms of alcoholics anonymous a beaten and broken man. i was shown hope, love and a new way of life. it hasnt been easy, ive taken my time away a few times and had to learn some powerful leasons through relapse, but i sit here today, sober, with the grace of god and AA.

im writing this because i think that recovery in general and AA specifically needs my undying thanks. there is an awful thing going on in the DC area, especially among young people, and it needs to be exposed. im talking about midtown.

i am going to write what i think good recovery is and the difference between that and what midtown does in the name of "recovery".

i came in lost and you people in good AA meetings embraced me and said that i never have to be alone again. midtown says the same but they wont leave you alone. they micro-manage every aspect of your life, take away any decision making you have and "brainwash you".

young people coming into AA are especially vaulnerable to midtowns "gang" tactics. they swarm, like locusts, on the newcomers when they go to meetings, peppering them with questions and wont give them a second to breathe. once in, they really intrude. they tell you where you can go, where to live, to stop taking life saving medications, to lose any non-member friends you have and any other way they can gain control.

i was told, in early recovery, to find meetings i like, where i can share and if i dont like a meeting, to find another. there are over 2000 meetings a week in the DC area. in midtown, they seem to think there are only 18 or 20 meetings and these are the only ones that the newcomer is allowed to attend.

i was told to find a sponser, of the same sex, one i can relate to, one with experience in the steps. a sponser is one you can confide in, share some pretty dark stuff. theres a trust built up. in midtown your sponser is chosen for you. sponsership is a prestige thing in this group, the more sponsees the higher up you are. they also encourage different sex sponsership. anything you share with your sponser becomes group knowledge, its shared and used against you. ultimately, mike q sponsers everyone in the group. he makes the decisions.

i was taught to work the steps and traditions. theres nothing traditional about midtown, they break every one.

money thats collected in midtown, including chitown, goes to pay for mortgages, vacations and line the pockets of midtowns leaders. money collected in regular goes toward rent for the meeting, chips, books and coffee with the rest usually going to waia and general services, this is important to keep AA running.

midtown is about controling its members, real recovery is about freedom from active alcoholism. ive gotten freedom and i see these kids in midtown being victimized by people in the name of recovery and it makes me sick.

i owe AA so much, my life and it pains me to see anyone hurt, especially on purpose for the benefit of others. midtown uses up people and throws them away. in real AA i am welcome in any meeting. in midtown if you dont conform you are thrown out, ostracized and lied about. recovery dosent throw anybody out, but these people do.

then there are the crimes and preditation inside midtown. statutory rape and other horrors going on inside. it pains me.

this group stands under the AA name. how can that be? how can AA tolerate this horrible wart called midtown? can we not do anything about it?

ive just written a few things i know, there are those who know more. as youve seen on "The Fall of Midtown" page there are those who have been harmed by this group who are now speaking out. not everyone in this group is bad but eventually if you hang around with victimizers long enough, you become one. anyone who has been a member of this group for a period of time, knows whats going on and even if they arent doint the shit, they are just as guilty by doing nothing about it. if i watch a rape happen and do nothing then i, too, am guilty.

This was first written by The Concerned Friends Group (CFG).

A well written piece that "PseudoName" found, dated 6/6/06.

CFG has reason to believe...

...that the MG is like many formed and organized cults.  AA suggests that members attend many other meetings during a given week but maintain one meeting as their Home Group. To lump a group of meetings together and call it the "Midtown Group" violates this principle.  The MG consists of a set of meetings, at least 19 of which are known to date, which the members are coerced to attend through peer pressure and sponsor direction.¹  It is our experience that this is accomplished through the member being ostracized, ignored, and labeled as 'toxic' or 'not sober' if they do not attend the group sanctioned meetings.² Additionally, keeping members isolated is a cult-like tactic to insure members are not exposed to outside information.³  As a result of this behavior, most of the members have not had the opportunity to fully experience AA.⁴

Another cult-like aspect of the group is that its members consist of a leader, his hierarchy, and vulnerable young men, women and children.⁵ The hierarchy is based on the number of years of sobriety a person has, the amount of people he/she sponsors, and what financial means he/she can provide to the group.  To the best of our knowledge and from personal experience, we believe/know certain members of the MG use mind control to manipulate other members financially, emotionally and medically in order to keep them mentally bound to the group.⁶ The MG defines themselves as an AA group, but practices — as is partially documented above — cult customs and beliefs.  In truth, it is only the AA Traditions that guide AA meetings.  This is true of the thousands of other AA meetings in the Washington Metropolitan Area, and in countless others throughout the world.

We have reason to believe that the MG violates AA Traditions in the following ways:

1.)     In order to become a member of the MG, a member of the MG must sponsor you.⁷

2.)     In order to vote at a group conscience meeting, you must be a member of the MG, which means that you must have a sponsor in the group.⁸

The Preamble of AA, derived from our Third Tradition, states: "The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking."⁹ AA also states that you are a member of any group of AA when you say you are a member; having a sponsor in the Home Group is irrelevant.¹⁰

To the best of our knowledge and our personal experience, certain members of the MG believe in sponsor direction, not sponsor guidance.¹¹  Certain members of the MG do not guide individuals; they direct the individual in a way to control him/her, as is common in cults.¹²  This is not what is suggested in the AA approved Sponsorship pamphlet. Furthermore, the "guidance" is not confined to the program of recovery as outlined in the book of Alcoholics Anonymous, but directs many aspects of a member's life.  Former members of the MG have experienced the following:

1.)  Sponsor direction to stop seeing a psychiatrist and/or a
psychologist, resulting in relapses, suicides, and psychiatric
episodes.¹³

2.)  Direction to attend a meeting every night of every week, and, as mentioned earlier, only MG meetings.  Attendance is mandatory and the sponsor must grant permission when a meeting cannot be attended.¹⁴

3.)  Direction to withhold child visitation to a spouse who is outside the MG or AA in general.¹⁵

4.)  Direction to stay away from family, friends, and other AA members and AA meetings.¹⁶

5.)  Direction on who to be sexually active with and/or who to get into a personal relationship with, regardless of his/her age.¹⁷

6.)  Direction to live with others in the MG in MG group homes.¹⁸

7.)  Sponsorship in the MG is not optional because to become a member of the MG you must be sponsored by an MG member (as stated earlier).¹⁹

8.)  Sponsor/sponsee confidentiality is violated and personal information is shared with the leader and others in the hierarchy regularly.  Written 4th Steps (an AA member's very personal inventory on sensitive issues including sex) have been passed on from sponsors to members of the hierarchy.  To the best of our knowledge, this information is sometimes revealed openly in front of others during a meeting.  Not only is this unethical, it is not what is suggested in our literature: "We search our acquaintance for a closed mouth, understanding friend... It is important that he be able to keep a confidence."²⁰

9.)  As is suggested in the Sponsorship Pamphlet, new members are strongly encouraged to select a sponsor of the same sex.  In the MG this is frequently violated, resulting in the abuse of power.²¹

Certain members of the MG direct other members to serve the leader and his hierarchy.  While they do bring meetings into detox centers, rehabs and jails, it is for the sole purpose of recruiting new members into their group.  Certain members of the MG refer to this practice as "Outreach".  AA, as a whole, is a program of attraction, not promotion.

 AA does not recruit members.

 Yet, we have reason to believe that certain members of the MG recruit others in order to increase the total number of members for the financial and sexual gratification of the leader and his hierarchy.

 Financial support is often disguised as gifts.

 Additionally, it is our experience that 'service' includes activities such as raking a sponsor's lawn, cleaning his/her home, doing his/her laundry, etc.  (This is documented as cult behavior in literature on the subject and is not considered AA service.)²²

To the best of our knowledge, the vast majority of MG members are not medical professionals; yet former members have had experiences that lead us to believe that certain MG members have acted as such in the following ways:

1.  They have directed members to cease seeing their psychiatrist and/or therapist.  (A cult tactic that is described in literature on the topic.)²³
   

2.  They have directed members to stop taking medication prescribed to them by a medical professional and based on a diagnosis and treatment plan.
   "AA is not a medical organization, does not give out medicines or medical advice."²⁴
   AA does not discourage members from seeking
   qualified help and even encourages it in our primary literature.²⁵
   

3.  They have directed members to throw away prescribed medication and to change their sobriety dates — inferring the member was never sober while taking the medication.
   

4.  Certain members of the hierarchy have ostracized and alienated other members and directed sponsees to do the same if those members are on any medications.  Some former members have experienced being completely ignored when speaking to or approaching anyone in the group.

5.  Withdrawing from medication can be highly dangerous; in fact, the unsupervised withdrawal from medication can be fatal.  We have reason to believe that as a result of certain members of MG giving medical direction regarding medication, several members have been admitted to inpatient psychiatric wards.  To the best of our knowledge, this has also led to attempted suicides and sadly, successful suicide attempts. Additionally, it is documented in research by reputable addiction/alcoholism studies that withdrawal from medication can result in relapse.²⁶  To the best of our knowledge, this has also occurred.

The MG recruits many young alcoholics, and we have reason to believe that on at least two or more occasions in the past couple of months alone, underage sex has occurred within the MG and that many members have knowledge of this. Statutory rape is defined in Maryland and the District of Columbia as sex between an adult and a child under the age of 16. In Virginia, the age of consent is 18.²⁷ To the best of our knowledge, certain members of the MG have condoned underage sex and have never reported it to the authorities. Former members of the MG are now starting to come forward and report their experiences to authorities, and the matter is currently under investigation. As is
common among victims of sexual abuse, especially those who are young, many former members have been scared to come forward, and many fear retribution by current MG members.  Other crimes involving financial issues are also under investigation. If any crime is committed, it should be reported immediately. The offender(s) can be prosecuted whether the person or persons are in the MG or not.

Certain members of the MG have been known to act as arbitrators of other members' sexual conduct.  Ex-members of the MG report that sexual activity is encouraged by justifying it as helping members stay away from drugs and alcohol and by stating that it is a "true spiritual experience."  By inducing the fear of "drinking and dying", and by some exploiting the sponsor power position over the sponsee, the mix is perfect for abuse.  "The combination of seduction and fear is a potent combination suited to distort personal judgment.  One of the best platforms for exploiting this relationship chemistry is power."²⁸

Finally, the vast majority of MG members date within the group — dating outside the group is considered dangerous and is generally forbidden, especially for female members. "Organizational incest is no different from incest in a family, which in reality is no different from sexual misconduct by (others).  They all take advantage of the vulnerable, and they result in the dysfunctional attachments we call trauma bonds."²⁹

The only requirement in AA is a desire to stop drinking,³⁰ but as is evident from previous assertions in this document, to identify yourself as an MG member is only allowed if you adhere to the MG "rules".  A person joining the MG is expected to be in attendance with the rest of the group at every MG meeting with the exception of "Outreach" or if taking a meeting to an outside facility, and then only if accompanied by at least one other MG member.  The requirement to attend meetings and socialize with only members of the MG is a typical characteristic of a cult.  It is designed to ensure members are dependant on the group and will face being shunned if they do not follow the "rules".³¹

The MG's assertion that they "hope to be a safe place" for alcoholics is questionable given the above referenced allegations of statutory rape and ex-members' reports of 'medication management.'  Cults are not safe places.  Being part of a cult and leaving a cult can result in serious psychological damage.³²  The threats made by certain members of the MG that you will "drink and die" if you do not follow all their practices to keep its subordinate members in line are not only aligned with cult practices but seem to be prophetic.  Because certain members of the MG restrict some very sick alcoholics from the true message of AA, those seeking reprieve from alcoholism are sheltered from mainstream, traditional AA.  This is harmful and life-threatening.

In Summary

In our experience/knowledge, the Midtown Group is a dangerous cult-like group posing as AA.  Certain members are participating in and condoning the egregious acts stated above.  Ex-members have been treated and 'deprogrammed' as a result of the cult-like aspect of the Midtown Group. There are psychologists and hospitals in the Washington, DC area that will corroborate this fact.

The Concerned Friends Group is seeking support from Churches, Hospitals, Schools, Treatment Centers, Detox Centers, Families, Concerned Citizens, Law Enforcement, and Alcoholics Anonymous.  We ask that institutions which serve as meeting places (such as churches) or recruitment centers (hospitals, detox centers, treatment centers) no longer associate with the MG, as doing so legitimizes the group as actual and authentic AA.  The detective we are working with has been interviewing and investigating allegations made by past and present members but we would like the assistance of more people whose lives have been damaged or altered to step forward.  We realize that many
just want to put their pain and suffering behind them, and that is a decision each person will have to make on their own.  We certainly do not want to endanger anyone's sobriety or emotional well-being.

Thank you for taking the time to read this document.  Please feel free to contact our Public Relations Chair, at concernedfriendsgroup@gmail.com.

__________________________________________________________

[1] See the AA approved Sponsorship Pamphlet, "What does a sponsor do?", pg. 7
http://www.derbyshireaa.co.uk/sponsorship/Q&A.pdf#search='Questions%2....
[2] See website on cult characteristics:
http://www.sspx-cult.com/CultCharacteristics.htm.
[3] See website on cult characteristics referenced in Footnote #2.
[4] See the AA approved Sponsorship Pamphlet, "What does a sponsor do?", pg. 7 (found at website referenced in Footnote #1).
[5] See AA Traditions, Tradition # 2
http://www.aa.org/en_information_aa.cfm?PageID=2&SubPage=52.
 Also see AA Sponsorship Pamphlet, pg. 6, "There is no superior class or caste of sponsors in AA." (emphasis in literature), and pg. 13, "Can a member sponsor more than one newcomer simultaneously?" (found at website referenced in Footnote #1).
[6] See website on cult characteristics referenced in Footnote #2.
[7] Goes against AA Sponsorship Pamphlet, bottom of pg. 2 "What does a sponsor do?" (found at website referenced in Footnote #1).
[8] "Group Conscience" refers to what governs AA meetings as related to positions, format - they are open to anyone who attends the AA meeting that night, not to specific members (p.43) http://aa.org/en_pdfs/p-16_theaagroup.pdf, The AA Group pamphlet, The Twelve Traditions in Long Form, "For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority - a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience."
[9] The AA Third Tradition may be found at
http://www.aa.org/en_information_aa.cfm?PageID=2&SubPage=52 .
[10] Goes against AA Sponsorship Pamphlet, bottom of pg. 2 (found at website referenced in Footnote #1.
[11] Goes against Sponsorship Pamphlet, also bottom of pg. 2 at website referenced in Footnote #1.
[12] Cult characteristic: see website referenced in Footnote #2.
[13] See website on cult characteristics referenced in Footnote #2, also AA Sponsorship Pamphlet, pg. 8 "Should a sponsor recommend hospitalization?" (found at website from Footnote #1).
[14] AA Sponsorship Pamphlet, pg. 11 "Can a sponsor be overprotective?" and "How can a sponsor handle an over dependent newcomer?", pg. 11 (found on website from Footnote #1).
[15] See pg. 7 in Sponsorship Pamphlet, "What does a sponsor do?", also on pg. 9 "How can a sponsor work with an alcoholic's family?",  and pg. 10 "Should a sponsor lend money to the newcomer?" (found at website referenced in Footnote #1)
[16] See website on cult characteristics referenced in Footnote #2.
[17] See website on cult characteristics referenced in Footnote #2.
[18] See website on cult characteristics referenced in Footnote #2.
[19] Goes against AA Sponsorship Pamphlet, bottom of pg. 2 (found at website referenced in Footnote #1).
[20] Page 74, Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition (NY: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, 2001) . Also see website on cult characteristics referenced in Footnote #2.
[21] See pg. 4 "Should a sponsor and the newcomer be as much alike as possible?" (found at website referenced in Footnote #1).
[22] See website on cult characteristics referenced in Footnote #2 and Sponsorship Pamphlet, pg 15 "Service Sponsorship" (found on website referenced in footnote #1).
[23] See website on cult characteristics referenced in Footnote #2.
[22] See website on cult characteristics referenced in Footnote #2 and Sponsorship Pamphlet, pg 15 "Service Sponsorship" (found on website referenced in footnote #1).
[23] See website on cult characteristics referenced in Footnote #2.
[24] On page 10, http://aa.org/en_pdfs/p-42_abriefguidetoaa.pdf , in A Brief Guide to Alcoholics Anonymous
[25] Also, page 133, Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition (NY: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, 2001) .  Also, please see "The AA Member: Medication and other Drugs."
[26] The Dual Diagnosis Recovery Sourcebook: A Physical, Mental, and Spiritual Approach to Addiction with an Emotional Disorder.  pg. 145 & pgs. 224-225. by Dennis Ortman, Ph.D. (Lincolnwood, IL: Lowell House, 2001).  For information about the prevalence of secondary emotional illnesses with Alcoholism & Addiction in general, see a full synopsis of current research articles on the subject at
http://www.nida.nih.gov/about/organization/despr/hsr/da-tre/BrownComo....

[27] For MD age of consent see http://www.rapecrisiscc.org/consent.htm,
For District of Columbia age of consent see
http://app.doh.dc.gov/services/administration_offices/phsa/safp/faqs....,
  for all, including VA, see http://www.sosen.org/legal/ageofconsent/

[28] Pgs. 58 - 58 in The Betrayal Bonds by Dr. Patrick Carnes, citing other research.
[29] For elaboration of this concept see Incest in the Organizational Family, by William L White (Bloomington, Ill: The Lighthouse Training Institute, 1986.
[30] See footnote #9.
[31] See website on cult characteristics referenced in Footnote #2.
[32] See the following website and it's referenced articles as well -
http://www.reveal.org/library/psych/The%20Impact%20of%20Cults%20on%20...
and also http://www.rickross.com/reference/recovery/recovery1.html

Friday, January 5, 2007

Professional Opinions

"My name is  [withheld for their protection]  and I am a mental health independent clinical provider in Maryland and a psychotherapist at [name withheld] Hospital in Washington DC. Being also an individual that was confronted with a serious drug problem almost two decades ago, I had made the decision in [approximately 20 years ago] to become sober, further my education, create new associations, and raise a family.   I was an active member of the [writer cites an agency board he/she was on and goes on to document a lengthy career resume; however all of this is withheld for their protection].

When I decided to join the ranks of those that took advantage of the 12-step community and its processes, I remember often frequenting my favorite meetings known as Rockville Metro and the Del Ray Club.   My 12-step sober friends and I all knew Mike Quinonis and his group of "13-steppers" that were known for focusing on "helping" young females through Mike's pre-designed set of concepts of the 12-step process, which focused primarily on having sex.   Before they ever were called the "Q" group, they were referred to as 13 steppers, primarily attributable to following concepts that were beyond the 12-steps.  Unfortunately, I do not have any court admissible hard evidence that Mike and his cronies are currently committing crimes but it was well known when I knew Mike in 1989 that he was having sex with females that were certainly under the legal age.   I suppose when one begins a journey which entails emerging from a lifestyle riddled with drugs and deceit, it is easy to dismiss what is going on around you.  I offer any help I may provide in putting an end to any level of criminal activity and therefore any such activities employed by the Q group.   It is significantly surprising that he and his associates have continued to get away with statutory rape and other criminal activities all these years."

Unfortunately, a certain percentage of our Fellowship just doesn't understand, or want to accept, the growing situation at hand.  It reminds me of the surrounding siblings and some other family members attempting to force the currently and previously molested siblings from coming forward, in fear that it would put their family in a poor light.  Their fear is that it would portray their family in a negative manner, and that it wouldn't be fair, mainly because the majority of the family does not conduct themselves in an incestuous manner.

One of our readers wrote this to us, "I remember and I want to share"

One of our readers sent this supportive email to us. We believe that his intention is to help as much as possible. Hopefully, some of you will read this. Those that do will be offered a choice on whether they will continue to close their eyes, or whether they will continue to open them. The choice, as always, is theirs.

BEGINNING OF SENT EMAIL

"PLZ PLZ PLZ keep me anonymous. I really dont want any contact with midtown anymore, or anyone for that matter. However, I really admire what you are doing and I thought I could share my experice there with everyone. Maybe you could post this somewhere in the blogs, I would appreciate it

It took me a while to see what was really going on there. At first I thought these people were saints, they came up to me and all introduced themselves and called me to see if I was okay. After a few weeks I smelled something going on. I couldnt put my finger on it but there it was, a blissful ignorance of some kind. Everyone thought everything their sponsor said was taken as the gospel.

The wierdest thing I thought was how everyone seemed to be competing to be "more sober" or "more alcoholic".

Let me explain. Of course the "most sober" title was held by Mike Q, and his pigeons. The title didnt really have any relation to actual sober time, but more with how many people the person sponsored, and how close he or she was in the lineage to Q. This was enhanced by the prohibition on medication, all those who were on meds were essentially shunned. The tactic of shunning those who take meds works for the hierarchy because it keeps anyone on meds from threatening their power, and keeps the newcomers on meds subordinate. If they are taking meds then they are considered "toxic" and are considered not sober at all, even if they havent had any alcohol in many years. The group is based on keeping people subordinate by shaming them.

The "more alcoholic" I have to admit is amusing to me. People compete to seem like they were more desperate and more powerless than others. Let me give you an example. This one guy I knew wanted to change his sobriety date because he was drinking vanilla coke and thought it had vanilla extract in it. He even called the Coca Cola corporation. What a dipshit!

Another guy bragged about being so powerless that he drank Calvin Klein cologne. I dont know much, but I know this; If you drink CK cologne is does not make you an alcoholic............ it makes you a fucktard!!

On a more serious note I witnessed some disturbing things as well. The eerie way how everyone watches Mike, Jack, John etc... at a meeting to see if they are laughing to determine if it is okay to laugh. The way everyone laughs at Mike when he is not anywhere remotely close to funny.

I talked to a man in his 30's who bragged oppenly about having sex the previous night with a 14 year old girl. He seemed to have no shame about it at all. Mike and his pigeons have aquires a taste for underage women, and have succesfully convinced many young impressionable women that sobriety comes from Mike Q's cock and not the Big Book.

I have seen newcomers thrown out on their ass out of houses because they "weren't active enough" — meaning they werent spening every waking moment of their life at an AA function of doing service. These midtown people are sick. Mike runs everything. When that scandal broke last summer about the money laundering I heard people say shit like "Well, its okay for Mike to do stuff like that because he saved everyones life" "I dont care if this is a cult I will follow my Mike into hell". Stuff like that really bothered me.

In closing I would like to say that I do not blame anyone except the hierarchs for the problems there. The majority of people just want to be accepted, they are lost. Its like Shady corporation like Enron. I dont want to fire the employees, but the CEO and management needs to GO!!!!!!

Midtown members write us [FOM] defensive emails after watching video.

These are some of the recent emails that we have received. It would appear that the Midtown Cult Instructional Video has been viewed... We have kept the emails as they are, except for the exclusion of the sender's name, which we have promised to keep anonymous.

BEGINNING OF SENT EMAIL

your all some stupid fucking idiots and you will always be empty inside with no purpose in life except to get out of life what you think you need. go get drunk and save your self some time and effort because thats what your going to do any way

BEGINNING OF SENT EMAIL

OK FUCK YOU AND YOUR FUCKING VIDEO!  WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TRYING TO PROVE ANYWAY?  YOU THINK THAT YOUR BETTER THAN US?  YOUR NOT.  I'M IN MIDTOWN BECAUSE YOU AREN'T BETTER.  YOU THINK YOU KNOW US?  YOU DON'T!  YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR DAMN SELVES!  ALL YOU DO IS BITCH ABOUT US BUT YOU ACT LIKE ASSHOLES!  YOU THINK THAT'S ATTRACTIVE?  YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT ATREACTED ME TO MIDTOWN IN THE FIRST PLACE? THEY DON'T TREAT ME LIKE SHIT, MAKE FUN OF ME OR ABUSE ME BECAUSE OF MY WEIGHT PROBLEM, FOR ONE.  WHEN I STARTED OUT AT ST. LUKES ON SUNDAY AND WENDSDAY, YOU FUCKTARDS MADE FUN OF ME ALL THE TIME!  WHEN I PICKED UP MY 6MOTH CHIP, YOU SHITHEADS THREW CHAIRS AT ME AND WHEN THAT WAS NOT FUCKED UP ENOUGH TO PLEASE YOUR GODS, MATT (OSAMA), BOB (http://www.myspace.com/bobbillylyons), MALCOLM (http://www.myspace.com/pinqwund) AND TOFO (http://www.myspace.com/topherpela), YOU RETARDS THREW YOUR SHOES AT ME!!  YOU FUCKING THREW YOUR SHOES AT ME!?  ONE HIT ME IN THE FACE AMD OTHERS SHOES HIT ME IN THE BACK AND HEAD!  WHAT THE FUCK!?  I LEFT THAT MEETING AND GOT DRUNK AND YOU PIECES OF SHIT NEVER SAID YOU WERE SORRY!  YOU DUMBFUCKS THINK THAT'S AA?!  YOU WANNA KNOW WHY MIDTOWN IS HUGE?  ITS BECAUSE OF RETARDS LIKE YOU, RUNNING TARD GROUPS LIKE ST. LUKES.  EVERYTIME WE COME TO ONE OF YOUR MEETINGS, WE NEVER WANT TO COME BACK!  THE ONCE CHANCE YOU HAD AT WAIA AND YOU DUMBFUCKS GET BUSTED FOR LYING!  DUMBASS BOB GOT REMOVED FROM WAIA AND KICKED OFF THE BOARD FOR LYING AND YOU WONDER WHY WE HAVE ALL THE POSITIONS!?  HOW HARD IS IT TO GET A INTERGROUP POSITION ANYWAY?  WAS HE TRYING TO SHOW EVERYONE JUST HOW FUCKING STUPID HE REALLY IS?!  THOSE COCKSMOKES HELP NEWCOMERS BY MAKING THEM SETTING SHIT ON FIRE AND BLOWING UP SOUP CANS IN CAMPFIRES!?  HOW FUCKING RETARED IS THAT?!   GO THERE NEXT WEEK AND YOUL SEE IT FOR YOURSELF.  MIDTOWN HAS ME HELP PEOPLE, NOT THROW SHIT AT NEWCOMERS AND HAVE THEM SET OTHER PEOPLES STUFF ON FIRE.  IM SOBOR OVER 2 AND A HALF YEARS NOW THANKS TO MIDTOWN.  YOUR YOUNG PEOPLES GROUIPS GOT ME DRUNK!  WHY DON'T YOU DO SOMETHING ABOIUT THEM?   THERE THE ONES FUCKING THE 14-15 YEAR OLDS AND TURNING PEOPLE AWAY FROM AA, NOT US.

END OF SENT EMAIL

BEGINNING OF SENT EMAIL

i am disturbed to see NAME DELETED name in this post...

there ARE many of us in midtown who do not participate in the behaviors that are alleged. not only does  NAME DELETED (and his pigeon family... take  NAME DELETED for example... NON-exclusivity at it's finest) not participate in the alleged behaviors, we are attempting, in our own way, to make a difference here. we lead by example. we attend a variety of meetings and in the 3 years i have been sponsored by one of  NAME DELETED sponsees i have never once been given any direction regarding sex, dating, medications, which meetings to attend or anything else of the sort. i have never been sponsored by any of the other folks mentioned in any fallofmidtown or CFG writings. ask NAME DELETED about me... he knows me and knows that i don't get involved in any of the crap being discussed. he and i worked a recovery table at a widespread panic concert in DC right before all the CFG stuff came about (with full blessing from my sponsor)... does this sound like the type of pigeon family you are railing against? seriously, NAME DELETED is not your enemy...

our pigeon family attempts to live by principles outlined in the book, not what you allege to be the heirarchy. please leave NAME DELETED and our pigeon family out of this, as we're not involved and don't deserve to be lumped in with those who are being accused...

hopefully i'll hear back from you and hopefully you guys will realize that  NAME DELETED has nothing to do with this...

For those of you who haven't seen the video in question, this is it. Watch and learn, then learn how to say "Thanks but NO thanks!"

The tenor of this profile has changed.
Current mood: hopeful

When this profile was first created, our common goal was to establish a frontline of sorts, from which the Midtown Group (MG) and its Cult tactics could not pass ignored any longer. There was no mistaking our intention, the fall of Midtown being the goal, hence the name. We did not expect this many readers or supporters, due to the nature of our mission, which at first glace, doesn't appear to be spiritual in nature, to any measurable degree. We also didn't expect the volume of emails that have been sent to us by individuals who had once been part of a collective that seemingly loved them unconditionally, then as they began to assert their naturally occurring sense of individuality, they were generally used to one degree or another, before being cast out of this engulfing collective.

We had little intention of leading or participating in a spiritual movement, or to be a place of healing, by any means; however spirituality, as it may present itself to those who would be willing to surrender their will to it, offers a path that may not run parallel to one's intended or preplanned agenda.

The tenor of this profile has changed and we as spiritually based, free thinking individuals have to accept that this site, for the time being, will be of greater service, by offering itself as a safe haven for those who have been mislead, abused and abandoned by the MG, so that they can share their stories with a world that cares for them, far more than they know.

We believe that there is a disturbingly large number of them that will not go to AA meetings, in fear that it is another Fellowship meeting turned Cult, and they need everyone here to reach out to them and show them the unconditional love that was previously promised, then rejected, after they became conditioned to become dependent on a lower power, and his hierarch most cruel.

We received this email yesterday. The second section is our response to her. We haven't heard back from her. There were two other emails from different readers, that were sent to us before hers this last week, but we believe that this woman needs to know that the Program of AA is a safe haven, even if some of its Fellowship do not provide for that safety, and her life may depend on her knowing it sooner, rather than later.

From this point on, we will continue to anonymously post emails sent to us, so that the sender's pain can have the chance to be healed by supporters like you. You now have the opportunity to lesson the emotional burden of a fellow traveler that thought that they were safe, within a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous, and found out all too clearly, that they were far from safe, within a social gathering of The Midtown Group.

From: *NAME WITHHELD BY FOM*
Date: Mar 5, 2007 5:47 PM

i was in midtown, and now i'm not. but i'm drinking. my life, as miserable as my alcoholism makes me sometimes, is much better now than it was with those people.

they would not refund the HUNDREDS of dollars i paid to go to the AA world conference, only told me i couldn't go because i relapsed. they called it "Project Toronto". i never got my plane ticket, even if i wanted to go seperately from their group. nope, they just kept my hard earned money. and that is just one small example. there were so many other aspects of my life in that period of sobriety that compromised my own self-image, and i believe, led up to my relapse. another example... i was given "sponsor direction" to sleep with a MARRIED man in the group. (his wife was not in the group). things like that just boil under my skin when i think about how toxic and vulnerable i was.... fragile and broken, trying to get sober and turn my life into something worthwhile, and these people ruined me.

i have not been able to give any other AA group a chance since then. i have a suffocating fear that i will be warped permanently from the brainwashing of AA. if you are seriously saying that midtown is the issue, and not AA in general, then i would like to talk to someone. please get back to me as soon as you can. thanks.

Please forgive the wait; however, I would prefer to meditate, before replying on a personal level, to your heartfelt email.

I can safely say, without reservation, that the Program of AA is in the 12 steps, as suggested in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. I can prove to you that the Midtown Group, as a whole, doesn't practice the AA Program of Recovery, as suggested in the Big Book.

Would you be interested in discovering the difference between AA's Program of Recovery and the Midtown Groups program of recovery? Maybe then, you would be able to make an objective evaluation as to whether the true Program of AA, and its primary purpose, has any promise, or holds any weight, for you?

A Struggle Inside AA

Recovering alcoholics say a Washington, D.C., group has hijacked the 12-step program's name.
By Nick Summers

photo: Jonathan Torgovnik for Newsweek Going Public: Ex-members of the Midtown AA group outside the major meeting place in Washington, D.C.

Newsweek May 7, 2007 issue — By the time May Clancy turned 15 years old, she was well on her way to drinking herself to death. A middle-school student from Potomac, Md., she had been through 11 different psychiatric and alcohol-rehab programs in two years. Each time, she started drinking again as soon as she got out. Her parents were terrified. "We'd taken her to hospitals — everything possible to get her the best care that we could," says May's father, Mike. "And all these places told us that they didn't think she could make it without Alcoholics Anonymous."

So in November 2005, when May agreed to begin attending meetings at Midtown, one of the oldest and largest AA groups in the Washington, D.C., area, it felt like a miracle. Other AA meetings in the city attracted mostly older men and women; Midtown was known as a place for recovering alcoholics in their teens and 20s. Some of the group's senior members were older, but there were also dozens of high-school and college kids with stories a lot like hers. From the moment she arrived, they seemed to go out of their way to welcome her. At first, May was thrilled to find a group of people who accepted her as she was. "When I went there," she says, "I didn't really talk to anybody, didn't trust anybody. And these people would hang out with me even if I didn't say anything, and include me in conversations. I was desperate to be liked at that point."

But something about Midtown was not right. After a few months, the group's embrace of May began to feel like a chokehold. She says the sponsor assigned to give her moral support and help keep her sober pressured her to cut off ties to anyone outside the group. Another member snatched her cell phone and deleted names in the directory. She says she was pressured to stop taking the medication a doctor had prescribed to manage her bipolar disorder: group members told her she couldn't be sober if she was taking any kind of drug. There was a hierarchy to the group. Younger members were sometimes expected to wash cars, clean houses and do other menial chores for more senior members.

May says she was especially uncomfortable with the emphasis on dating within the group and sex between members. She would listen as girls her age compared notes on the men in the group they had been encouraged to sleep with, some of whom were decades older.

Her suspicions were confirmed when she left Midtown and began attending a different AA meeting. She was surpriseds — and relieved — to find that many of Midtown's common practices were exactly the opposite of what Alcoholics Anonymous literature teaches. By design, there are no "leaders" in AA groups who exert control over other members. AA doesn't expect members to ignore doctors' prescriptions. It doesn't tell them to turn their backs on friends and family. And far from encouraging sex, AA groups overwhelmingly frown on intimate relationships for the first year of sobriety, when a recovering alcoholic is thought to be most vulnerable.

May's story isn't unique. Now 16, she is one of hundreds of recovering alcoholics who are taking sides in a bitter, unprecedented dispute among Alcoholics Anonymous adherents that pits members of Midtown, who insist the organization has saved their lives and kept them sober, against angry former members, who charge it is a coercive, cultlike group that uses the trusted AA name to induce young alcoholics into a radical fringe movement that has little resemblance to traditional AA.

It is a fight that has been largely waged in private. Some of Midtown's most driven critics organized a committee, dubbed the Concerned Friends Group, and created an anonymous MySpace page for ex-members to share stories. They have, unsuccessfully, tried to have Midtown expelled from churches where its meetings are held and have made numerous complaints to the police. (Law-enforcement officials say they have investigated the group but have not found evidence of criminal wrongdoing.) Many of the people involved in the dispute are recovering alcoholics and have been reluctant to go public with their allegations — both because it is a violation of AA's "anonymous" credo, and because they do not want it known that they are alcoholics. But in dozens of interviews with NEWSWEEK, recovering alcoholics and mental-health professionals describe a group that exerts an unusual amount of control and sometimes seems to put the social desires of some members above the recovery of others.

Despite repeated requests for comment, no current Midtown members agreed to be interviewed on the record, citing AA's tradition of anonymity in the press and their belief that negative publicity scares on-the-fence alcoholics from getting the help they need. But those who spoke or e-mailed without giving their names for publication say that Midtown is a flourishing group that has saved their lives, and that those who criticize it resent their success, have scores to settle or are simply making it all up.

Lauren Dougherty says that doesn't describe her at all. Now 29, she loved all the attention she got when she decided to sober up and join Midtown 11 years ago. A member of her family was an alcoholic, and Dougherty had sat in the back during AA meetings before. But Midtown was different from the meetings she remembered. Her first night, she was introduced to another member of the group and told, "She's your sponsor." Dougherty thought that was odd. AA sponsors are chosen, not assigned. But everyone was so friendly she let it pass. They gave her specific instructions about which Midtown meeting she should attend each day, and told her to cut off friends from her old life, even the ones who didn't drink. Soon her new circle of friends insisted she get an "AA boyfriend." Like May, Dougherty says there was pressure to sleep with older group members, which she refused to do. ("They live off of sex," says Meredith, a 19-year-old former member who, like several others, did not want her full name used to avoid being outed as an alcoholic. "I feel like their way of dealing with alcohol addiction is just by having sex with each other. Being in that group made me want to drink more.")

Disgusted, Dougherty tried to quit the group. She says her sponsor was furious. "You can't trust any of your own thoughts," she said. "You can't go into your own head unsupervised." At first, Dougherty didn't know what to believe, until a rehab counselor told her in no uncertain terms to get out.

Some former members say they too were made to believe that leaving Midtown would doom their recovery. Twenty-six-year-old Kristen spent eight years with the group, shunning family and outside friends. When she applied to go to art school in Richmond, Va., her sponsor, an older man, cursed her out. "You will drink," he told her. "You will fail. You will die." The reaction of her sponsor persuaded her to leave the group once and for all. She began secretly attending other AA meetings in the area. "I was so tired of being afraid all the time," she says. "I'd rather die than be in Midtown again."

Former members claim that Midtown makes it difficult to leave in other ways. About half the group's approximately 300 members rent houses with each other across the D.C. area. Many find work through contacts in the group. For them, exiting Midtown is not just a matter of walking out the door — it means getting evicted, breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend, and starting a social life from scratch.

photo: Jonathan Torgovnik for Newsweek Team Leader: 'They start isolating people, getting them away from any feedback other than their own,' says Jay Eubanks, clinic director

Midtown's approach to treatment so concerned Dr. Ellen Dye, a clinical psychologist in Rockville, Md., that she wrote an open letter to the Washington recovery community in August 2006, detailing two patients' experiences with the group. One young woman, she wrote, was "assigned a boyfriend" and pressured to go off antidepressants; she became actively suicidal and was hospitalized. The second was bossed so severely that he is now unwilling to attend any AA meetings, despite his worsening alcoholism. "At this point," Dye concluded, "I am very apprehensive about referring any clients to AA even if they are severe alcoholics. I think that it is essential that this group be eliminated from AA so that my colleagues and I can feel safe making these referrals again." While most recovery specialists know about Midtown, Dye said, parents and general therapists don't. "We're all saying, 'Go to AA, go to AA,' and we may be sending people into this terrible situation and not realizing it."

Other recovery specialists are more conflicted. Beth Kane-Davidson, director of the addictions center at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Md., says that the center stopped steering patients to Midtown during the past year. But, she adds, "the flip side is, I know people in the group that have long-term sobriety and are doing great." For some recovering alcoholics, she says, "Midtown has been a real godsend. It's taken them in and structured their activities, and filled the void left because they're not using anymore. But where do you draw the line? Given that the line is so fine, we try to err on the safe side."

David Hanrahan has a similar perspective. He got sober in 1985 while attending some of the meetings that later coalesced into the Midtown network; in his mid-30s, he drifted away when he decided he was more comfortable around recovering alcoholics closer to his own age. Hanrahan says a little disorder and disagreement inside AA isn't necessarily a bad thing — in fact, it almost always works out for the good. "I think AA is a miraculous organization that is run by nobody and controlled by nobody, and is complete, pure anarchy — as long as it's tied to the 12 steps — and I mean that in a good way," he says. "There are meetings all over the world, and anyone can start one, and nobody's in charge of it. That's AA's strength and weakness, right there." Hanrahan is concerned by the direction Midtown has taken in the past 20 years, but he also fears that its most organized critics care more about harming the group than reforming AA.

Midtown AA Accused Of Sexual Exploitation
Church Removes Meetings Pending Investigation

POSTED: 6:35 pm EDT May 11, 2007
UPDATED: 6:56 pm EDT May 11, 2007

WASHINGTON — Officials of a prominent church in Northwest Washington said the church has barred an Alcoholics Anonymous group from meeting on its property pending the outcome of an investigation.

The group, called Midtown AA, has come under scrutiny for unusual practices in the past.

Many of the former members have described the group as a cult.

One woman, a former member of Midtown AA, claims she was pressured to have sex as a teenager with the leader of an Alcoholics Anonymous group called Midtown.

Kathy* said that at the time she was 17 and the group leader was 56. She said members told her to engage in sex with him because it would increase her chances of being sober, and that she would be more accepted in the group.

An article about Midtown was featured in Newsweek Magazine. The article stated that the group sexually exploited members and pressured them to do unusual tasks.

David* said he was a member of Midtown for about a year.

"I would say that Midtown is a shiny apple with a rotten core," he said. Laura* said that while she attended meetings there, members advised her not to take her anti-depression medicine. She said she ended up being suicidal.

"Then they still were trying to convince me that I didn't need to be on medication," she said.

"There's a lot of sex stuff, but beyond that there's so much mind control and so much fear. I was constantly under a state of fear," said Kathy.

Midtown AA met in the basement of the Church of the Pilgrims in Northwest Washington for more than a decade, News4's Pat Collins reported. The group would meet on Sunday nights at 8.

Collins said that Midtown was reportedly the largest Alcoholics Anonymous group for young people on the east coast.

Church officials said they launched an investigation into the group's conduct last year after they learned of the allegations.

A short time later, Midtown leaders informed the church the group was leaving, saying the meeting place had gotten too small, officials said.

Midtown moved its meetings to St. Patrick's in Northwest. This week, the church sent a letter to parishioners that said Midtown AA would "no longer meet at St. Patrick's until we complete the appropriate investigation," Collins reported.

The current leader of Midtown did not respond to calls or letters from News4.

D.C. police and the city's prosecutor's office said they are unaware of any active investigation into Midtown. The national office of Alcoholics Anonymous said that each group is autonomous and follows its own conscience.

One FOM supporter (Ex Q. Group Member) writes us an extremely informed email.

I would like to remain anonymous please. Thanks !

After leaving the group many, many years ago, I have been contacted by both local and federal law enforcement agencies regarding information about the Mid-town group. Specially, the "Chain of Command" and Mike's "lieutenants." When I asked the authorities how they found me, they indicated that my name was voluntarily given by a reliable source (victim) who knew of me from some old photo albums their mentor (Sponsor) had. The victim shared that I was one of the first to leave the group and was part of the group in the earlier years and I would be of some help because of my knowledge of the group in the early days and had become successful without the group's "adult supervision." In fact, many in the hierarchy resented me for leaving the group and coming back sober and successful. I was questioned over and over again, "Who is running the show, what do you know about the beach house trips to ocean city and Delaware? Trips concerning Jamaica, Costa Rica? "Where is all the money going after the dances and New Year's Eve productions play?" Have you been to Mike's house? Did you know him when he was married "A"? Did you know his wife?" On and on and on and on.... the authorities really did there homework. They had concrete and specific examples of both the behavior of the group and its senior members, where they grew up, homes they had rented, "Camp Wilson" in N. Va. From Sober camping trips, skiing, vacation homes. Who was there....

Mid-town meeting Sunday nights from 8:30 to 9:30 was the place to be. It originally started at St Margret's just a few blocks away and moved just southwest off of Q street (How fitting) several years later. It was a mixer for the entire AA metropolitan area. In the mid 80s, its population was so big; the fire marshal would regularly attend meetings to ensure members would not block the steps leading to the exits of the church basement. Service positions varied from coffee makers to greeters. There were sponsorship tables, information regarding upcoming workshops, convention etc.. A room truly filled with love and support. Passing out chips (Tokens) could easily take 15-20 minutes. "Keep coming back, Keep coming Back" echoed into the streets. According to legend, The New York office ranked it as the third largest meeting on the east coast and the 5th in the nation. However, the population of youth(Young People) in the meeting was the lowest in its history. Population, were individuals in their late 30s to mid 50s with 5 to 10 years of sobriety. Ole timers (not so ole back then) like Buck D, Hal M, Happy H, Garret T, Ernie R, Hugh M, and Fast Eddie were common speakers.

With the rise of treatment centers in the 1980s, Treatment facilities would bus patients to and from area meetings. A popular treatment center at the time was Arlington hospital, both for adults and adolescents. A key ingredient in the success of treatment was to build a support group outside the treatment doors; hence, busing patients to and from meetings. Upon graduation from treatment (4 weeks) a patient would easily know where to go for meetings and at least have a temporary Sponsor and support group. Poplar hang outs in addition to Mid-Town was Saturday night live, Up the Tubes, Free Spirit, Friday night Young Peoples meeting at Arlington Hospital. The Alono Club in Arlington, the Independence club in Annandale and the West Side club in Georgetown. At the time, the youth in Maryland would stay in Maryland and the youth in Virginia would stay in Virginia with exceptions of Mid-town or dances sponsored by the Westside club.

Wednesday night, Up the tubes group next to the NOVA Alexandria campus, was one of the largest young peoples meeting in Northern Virginia. In fact, a few Maryland young people would battle the beltway and attend the meeting. The Speakers/Leaders were strong and confident, former young people now considered the cool and elite by their mid 20s. Folks Like Marly, Clyde, Rusty, Kate, Joe, Kerry. Visits from Smiling Jack, Ernie G,, Box Car Mike, Paul F. were regular visitors. Bonds were beginning to be established between the two beltways, sober Toga Parties in Clifton, Sunday football at the NOVA Campus in Annandale, Halloween parties in Bethesda. Dating, (including sex) was common, nothing out of the ordinary for young adolescents. Relationships were common and lasted quite long. You either were in a relationship with someone or trying to hook up at a dance. Sponsors were people you felt had what you wanted. Two men were very poplar sponsors to the young men in the room, Clyde and Walt. Both gentleman had great values and were excellent sponsors. You wanted what they had, a place of their own, sober, paying bills and being responsible. Parents loved them. They attended meetings regularly and were both very supportive of after-care programs and school attendance. Walt moved on to New York and from what I understand is doing very well.

Clyde happened to be sponsored by Mike Q. At the time, Mike had a handful of folks he was truly sponsoring including his future wife "A." A popular member of the Del Ray club in Maryland, Mike was a respected member of his home group until he began sponsoring women and specifically his future wife. Mike was a was a product of an Ole Timer, Hugh M. Hugh was well known in the area and was responsible for the sobering up of many, many high profile attorneys and politicians. However, Hugh felt that since he helped so many people get sober, he thought that have and a job and paying taxes was optional. (A poor selfish decision that would hold him accountable later regardless of political ties.) When Hugh died, Mike met Ernie R at the beach and asked him to be his sponsor. Ernie refused indicating that he was grateful for having Hugh in his life, but knew of his work ethic (zero) and that a relationship as a Sponsor with him and Mike would never work. Ernie believed in having a job and Hugh and Mike did not. Nevertheless, Clyde fell head over heals for a young lady visiting from Missouri. He was in his mid 20s, she was in her mid 20s, and they were young and sober several years. He was torn. He loved his boys and he loved her. Time with each young man was less and less. Focus on his relationship was a priority. They moved in together. Mike was upset with the relationship and told Clyde he had to terminate the relationship or get a new sponsor. The boys were torn. They had met with Mike after meetings several times discussing the lack of mentoring and the counseling they were now missing. Mike shared that Clyde had a decision to make and he recommended that they get a sponsor that was committed to helping others grow and develop into strong members of AA. Someone perhaps like...Gee, I don't know... himself. And so it began. One by one, they "fired" Clyde and started to call Mike or others that were sponsored by Mike. By the end of 1991 it was a done deal. Members of both sides of the beltway were sponsored by Mike or someone from his little nest. Here's where it gets a little crazy, so stick with me.....

Within a few months, the men were sponsored by Mike and young women were sponsored by his wife. (The "Q" Family or "Q" Group) Mondays all the women would go to their house and Thursdays all the men would follow. Here is the bonus part: Mike had the scoop on which lady liked what. From insecurities, sexual needs, who liked who, who was going to break with who. It was like a movie. Typical high school drama with a grown adult running the show. Mike would recall his days back in Vietnam and how he was a guy that made things happen. A Pimp, Mr. Hook up guy. He knew how to make thing happens. Connections, hook ups. He knew how to manipulate situations to benefit him or others. He chooses a handful of young men that he would share those skills and information with over the years. But who to pick??? Lets ponder......

First, someone with the right looks, Handsome devilish son of a gun. Women wanted him, men wanted to be him. Sponsors men and women; In fact, one of his girl's gives him a car. Looked good on the outside, but was missing someone in his life, lacks a father figure. Someone Mike could live through.

Next, the brains of the operations. Someone who can think fast on his feet. Loyal to the group and loyal to him. Perhaps a prospective lawyer that will end up in Oxford U in a few years on an internship.

An older fellow who could be used as an alibi. Someone who has been with him over the years., an Air Force vet, who could vouch for his intentions or more importantly his whereabouts.

In addition, a money maker who had the ability to make the quick buck. I know, lets spill coffee on my lap, sue the fast food joint for serving hot coffee instead of cold coffee. Yea, that's the ticket. Burn my nuts and never have to work again...

Slowly 5-6 men were chosen with in the next few years. Mostly young men and women from their first few days in recovery to one outsider that migrated from San Diego. All of them had the same key essential traits: They knew the Big Book inside and out. They were all excellent public speakers. They were all in jobs or studding to become highly paid and in respectable careers. (Lawyer, business owners, computers, Airline Pilot, PA) and they all had money $$ CHA CHING!

Hit number #1: The first time the group was split was in 1992. Mike and a young lady sponsored by his wife were driving on their way to Ocean City, Maryland. Next think you know, someone's naked and Ya Da Ya Da a sexual connection was made. His wife found out, they split and all the girls went with her and the guys went with him. Man.... it was crazy, he said this, and she said that... it really was crazy. It was better then pay per view. The drama, the fights, meeting rooms filled with hate and resentments. People walking out of meetings flicking people off. I can still hear the arguments outside the Thursday night's meeting at Choir. "If she would have paid more attention to him he wouldn't have done it!" "If he really loved her, he wouldn't have done it." People were breaking up left and right. Oh, by the way, what about the girl?? Yea, they forgot about her. She asked for help, she never got it....... She later drank and disappeared off the radar. I still pray for her from time to time.

Leave it to the power of insecurity and fear of being alone. Within a few months, the Boys and Girls got lonely. No more attention from their boys. No more dinner and movie after the meeting. No more sex. By the following year, most of the girls left his wife and rejoined the group. But this time, Mike would have total control over both the women and the men. People dating and Mike or his lieutenants would be sponsoring the couple. For years Mike would have relationship meetings with just the married couples in his house, he being the leader and all knowing mentor on how to have a successful relationship.

He would hand-pick the girls he would take to Jamaica, expecting sex and attention later. As I recall, one girl re-fused and slept on the couch the entire visit. She is now presently married to one of the lieutenants.

The pattern continued for years. Women were hand picked. They had the look, the body and were willing to put out. Guys were picked. Handsome, articulate, had a job and willing to be loyal to the group. People were told who can date whom, who can marry whom, who can sleep with whom. Those that questioned the idea of sleeping or dating within the first year were brought aside and were dealt with quickly. "What do you know that will help you get sober?? All you know is how to drink or drug.." "Get out of yourself and try to focus on someone else for a change." The guilt was heavy, I would see the ladies crying in the corner of the Saturday night Special meeting. To challenge your sponsor or leave the group, man it sucks to be you. Once folks left, it was over, they were out. The word was "Hey Suzi doesn't want our help, remind her of what fellowship is all about." Tell her to go find it somewhere else." Little Suzi would be gone in minutes.

One lieutenant was sponsoring a couple and had an affair with his girlfriend for months. When questioned he admitted to it and told his male sponsor that he was sorry but he and "Kim" were in love. And this was a God thing and he had to respect that. He still sponsors him today. The power of fear. Oh yea, about the girl, they broke up a few months later and she's sober but lives somewhat outside the group. I could go on and on.

In 1995 the first New Years play was put together. Events like the play, seats were pre-reserved for Mike and his lieutenants and of course their ladies. Proceeds from the dances and Plays always ended up somewhere in Mike's wallet. A cut for the man, the boss, the big cheese, the trusted servant of the group, the all knowing gum chewing master Jedi. For years the lieutenants would protect him. From the law, concerned parents, outsiders. If you were a suspect, had questionable loyalty, you were targeted. A big fat Bull's-eye on your back. No service position, regardless who your sponsor was. No dates, no beach trips. The goal, push you out with lack of attention. When the person would leave or drink, the group would respond, "Wasn't willing to follow direction.." "We tried to help"...." We hope he comes back..." "If he or she wants what we have, they need show a little willingness."

By the end of 1995, all the heavy hitters, old-timers from mid town were gone. Eaten up alive by Mike's lieutenants and their followers. It took years to work their way up in the service positions and finally gain control of the meeting. And when they did, with one quick swift vote in a group conscience after the Sunday meeting, it was done. If you are not sponsored by someone in the group, you can't be a home group member. As the years passed by, they gained popularity with a west coast group. Mid-town would mimic the same group and have Mike as the leader similar to the leader on the west coast side. In fact the format of the meetings are almost identical.

Hit number #2: In the late 1990's, Mike felt it was in his best interest to leave the DC area and move down to Florida. (Feeling the heat Mike?) How would the group function without him?? Group members would begin to share how they too have considered moving to Florida. It seemed the ole timers in Florida were ready for his arrival. Sandy B. was the first to greet him and asked Mike if his intentions were to sabotage the groups in Florida, to not unpack and move his ass right back to DC. When Mike arrived, he knew right away, he was not wanted. He already committed to a lease and was going to stick it out. He would come back and visit the DC area and share that it just not the same without the members of midtown. He would return within a year and take his chances with law.

Hit number #3: The top lieutenant leaves the group with all the knowledge of the group and Mike's portfolio. Someone feel a little threatened??

Hit number #4. A wedding for one of the women Mike Sponsors... A wonderful Jewish wedding filled with great food, dancing. Oh yea, Mike's date, just barley 18?? Little known to Mike, surveillance has already begun. PG County and Montgomery County P.D. are on to him building their case thanks to a phone call from a concerned parent.

Bottom Line:

Young new recruits did mow lawns, do work and servant like chores for Mike and his lieutenants. It was just part of the deal. You questioned it. You were out.

Members on medication were questioned and told to get off the anti-depressants. Not one member of the group do I recall was a licensed physician. Within a few days, some newcomers were truly unbalanced and left in a position to hurt themselves and/or someone else.

Young girls were preyed upon and targeted for sex. They loved the game of seduction and head games. In the end, the girl would be passed around the room like the basket. Both ending up with Mike.

Webster defines a cult as: In religion and sociology, a cult is a group of people (often a new religious movement) devoted to beliefs and goals which may be contradictory to those held by the majority of society. Its marginal status may come about either due to its novel belief system or due to idiosyncratic practices that cause the surrounding culture to regard it as far outside the mainstream.

I am not an educated man, but what I do know is this. The group meets some of the prerequisites of the definition above. If I were a parent to a young man or especially to a young lady that was trying to get sober in the DC area. I would be very cautious. Go to the meetings with them, get to know their sponsor and work together to help your child.

I'm a firm believer that sick people do sick things. Some people can stop drinking. Stop drinking for years, but their behavior may never change. Recovery is an inside job. A spiritual change within; Some people get it, some people don't. "Sometimes quickly, sometime slowly..."

What can we do...... I do the same thing today that I did when I left the group, the same direction my sponsor who was never a part of the group gave me on what I should do about the group. "Don't drink, Pray, Go to a meeting and help another human being in or out of the rooms. "

Do I think a lot of people are emotionally and spiritually damaged because of the group? Yea, I do. Do I think they have chance to recover? You bet! It will require some honest work and total detachment from the group. Ask for help. It's out there... just ask. Tell your new groups what happen and I guarantee someone will be there....

Do I think they're really a cult and will all move to Guyana and commit suicide and wait for some space ship to take them to the road of happy destiny? No. Honestly, think about it ........ Who would do Mike's Lawn then?

Midtown AA Banned From Another Church
Group Described As Cult

ROCKVILLE, Md. — An Alcoholics Anonymous group known as Midtown has been barred from meeting at another church, News4 reported Monday.

More Allegations Arise About Midtown AA
Mom Claims Daughter Was Coerced Into Sex

WASHINGTON — More controversial allegations have arisen about a Washington Alcoholics Anonymous group.

A mother claims that members of the Midtown Alcoholics Anonymous group coerced her daughter into having sex and took away the girl's prescribed psychiatric medicine.

The mother said she is a member of a traditional AA group, which, she said, is nothing like Midtown.

Because of the nature of this story, News4 has concealed the woman and her daughter's identity, calling her Kate and her daughter Jill.

"(Midtown AA) is coercive, controlling, cult-like," said Katie.

Midtown AA was a focus of a recent Newsweek article that described sexual exploits of some members and a cult-like nature of the group.

Amid the controversy, a number of local churches have barred Midtown from meeting at their facilities.

Kate told News4 on Friday that after an overdose experience in the South, her daughter Jill moved to Washington in February 2005 to turn her life around and joined Midtown AA.

The mother said that when Jill's boyfriend left Midtown AA the following year, her daughter was then pressured to have sex with another man in the group.

"It was a suggestion by one of the leaders that she have sex with someone in the group," said Kate. "She vehemently requested that she not have to do this and she eventually did because she was told if she wanted to remain sober, she would do what she was told."

Kate claims that after the unwanted sex encounter, Jill relapsed and started drinking again.

Jill was later admitted to a psychiatric facility, diagnosed with a mental disorder and prescribed medication, Katie said.

Kate said that after her recovery and release, Jill returned to Midtown AA in July 2006.

"They told her that she would not remain sober if she continued taking the medication," Kate said. "Within three days she had a psychotic episode and was hospitalized again."

Kate said Jill has since returned to her home in the South, and, she said, her daughter harbors no ill will toward the AA group.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Who are these fools????? Why are they here?????

Those who seek absolute power, even though they seek it to do what they regard as good, are simply demanding the right to enforce their own version of heaven on earth. And let me remind you, they are the very ones who always create the most hellish tyrannies. Absolute power does corrupt, and those who seek it must be suspect and must be opposed.
— Sen. Barry Goldwater (R-AZ)

Despite the fact that Sen. Goldwater is one of my political heroes, I think this quote pretty much sums up the recent revelations of wrongdoing at the Midtown AA Group in Washington DC. Having been a sober member of AA for 13 consecutive years (or as my friend Drew G. would ask "in a row?"), I believe I have to address these allegations by stating that there are more than a few AA groups like Midtown where this bullshit of coercion, intimidation, and "13th stepping" (engaging in sexual relations with newcomer for my non-AA friends out there) has gone on. While the chicken shits at the AA General Service Office in New York want to stick their heads in the sand and state the 4th tradition of group autonomy, this bullshit does affect AA as a whole.

Let me share with you a similar experience I had with a AA group while I was living in Minneapolis. I was part of a group called "Foxhall Chapter 7" which met on Thursday nights at a church in Hopkins, MN. Ironically, the inspiration for the Foxhall Group (where there are several nationwide) began in Washington DC like the Midtown Group. At this meeting, there was an overt air of superiority among the people sponsored by the self appointed messiah of the group and their descendants known to each other as "pigeons." Anyway, this "messiah" in his early sobriety had committed adultery and had an affair with a newcomer woman who was about 30 days sober and was working as his nanny. But after all, it was OK for him to commit what I consider to be a sin of Biblical proportions but a no-no for the newcomers to the group.

I saw a lot of this hero worship run amok in this group and my former sponsor and I got caught up in what we now dub "the dog and pony show" of Minneapolis/St Paul AA. Women and men sitting together with their sponsor saving their seats and getting them a cup of coffee and making a big Broadway production out of it. The men usually wore suits and ties and the women dressed up to and were instructed to go out and meet newcomers. The way they approached newcomers was akin to a used car salesman. Was some of there concern genuine? Perhaps. I usually felt there was some ulterior motive involved like a person's desire to control another person and emulate their sponsor all in the name of "unconditional love" of course. Then again, Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge nutjobs told the Cambodian people the same thing as they tried to turn their beloved country into a collectivist agrarian society. (Oh damn, there I go again on one of my anti-Communist rants again.... fucking Libertarians!)

I seemed to be more interested in the downtrodden looking ones from the treatment centers and would talk to them about things like football and the championship ring I was wearing. Why shove a bunch of useless cliches down their throat that they were already hearing from the camp commandants when relatable subjects like sports seemed to put them at ease? That was my theory and still is. But my "message" was not good enough according to some of these image hogs. These minions need to call us every night and be at our every whim whenever we demand it.
That fucking Mirmak is an egomanical jock run amok! How dare he tell these minions that there is an actual life out there once you sober up? Believe or not, there is. And to the dickwad at Foxhall (Chad) that asked me if I was friends with Steve Rosga, the answer is yes and he is a hell of a lot more fun to be around than you! (See Steve's profile in a previous blog for an idea of the company that I keep)

My sponsor at the time pretty much left me alone to do my thing much to his sponsor's dismay. Unfortunately, a few years later he ended up moving to Cincinnati and suggested that I find someone locally. So I met this guy named Jim S. who moved up from Iowa with his AA wife Jane H. (why they don't share the same last name is beyond me). Anyway, Jim and Jane sponsored a gaggle of men and women at the Foxhall groups in Minnesota and Iowa.

At first, Jim seemed like an easy going guy and I thought I would ask him since he was sponsoring a couple friends of mine. Like a Pavlovian dog, Jim licked his chops and thought to himself that I was going to be a fun prospect for him. So he tells me that I have an assigned time to call him once a week just to let him know how I was doing with my program. As far as I was concerned, my program was to do the 12 steps and continue to live my life in an ethical manner in all of my affairs. I guess that wasn't good enough for ol' Jim since I needed to be involved in every form of AA service known to man and have AA be the centerpiece of my existence. I went on a few service calls with him at first, but I thought a day at the gym pumping iron was more beneficial since I was still playing football at the semipro level. But according to Jim, that wasn't helping the alcoholic receive "the message." OK, let's get this straight. I nearly ruin my college football career with my drinking and have a chance to redeem myself with my old college coach on this semipro team. (Keep in mind that I have like 7 years sobriety under my belt at this time) I think that message of redemption and real hope is fucking awesome and that is exactly what the newcomer needs to hear, not a life enslaved to the will of a control freak sponsor. Like an assinine child, Jim would hear none of it.

The final straw in our relationship was my refusal to sponsor someone who was a convicted sex offender. In short, this man had committed some lewd acts with an underage girl. Once he divulged that information to me, I immediately informed him that I would not be his sponsor any longer. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I thought that his crime should be classified as a Federal capital crime punishable by death. In any case, word got out that I "fired" this sicko as a "pigeon" and caught all kinds of holy hell from Jim and some of his sponsor's minions for "saying no to AA." Never mind that my wife was 7 months pregnant with our daughter and I was going to become a father. Did I want this guy potentially around my infant girl? OH HELL NO!!! as my friends Gerone and Jamel would say. I flat out told Jim my views on child sex offenders and how the legal system should literally hang them high. I was told by Jim that my views on this guy's sexual proclivities towards children were an "outside issue" and I should let it go. Furthermore, I should reconsider my decision of sponsoring this guy bcause he is a "still suffering alcoholic." to which I told him "if you are so concerned about this, then why don't you sponsor him. Because he may be welcome into your home, but he sure as hell won't be welcome in mine." With that being said, I decided to end the sponsorship relationship with Jim and left Foxhall as a group. I was not about to compromise my principles and integrity for the sake of letting some sick pervert become a part of my life in the name of "carrying the message." As far as I am concerned, a rope around the neck and hung from a tree for this pervert would have been more apropo.

The My Space page about the Midtown group also talks about some of the goofy things that these AAers did. I remember Jim's wife Jane was so concerned about wine being put food like chicken that she refused to consume such dishes and told her minions that it would lead to a relapse if they ate a dish made with wine. Did someone tell this culinary "expert" that the booze is cooked out and evaporates when they deglaze a pan? That was as comical as the fucktard who chewed someone out for putting Grey Poupon on their sandwich.

I will close this long blog to address the practice of 13th stepping.

I am proud to say that in all of my years of consecutive sobriety in AA that I never once participated in this practice. However, I would see some leecherous men try to fawn themselves over a lot of the newcomer women while telling their "pigeons" that it was forbidden for them to do so. One newcomer woman I remember fondly was named Amber. She was a very beautiful and well figured young lady. Anyway, a lot of the males in our group were seeking attention from her. She usually gave them a smile and said hi but that was usually the extent of her friendliness towards them. Anyway, she comes up to me one day and asks me "are all of the men like this in AA." I told her no and asked her why she asked me. She told me she felt that some of these men had ulterior motives. I am thinking to myself, "so why is she asking me?" Maybe she wants me to kick their asses within an inch of their lives which I felt like doing to a lot of the 13th steppers in our group. She then tells me that I seem pretty safe. OK, I thought.... she obviously didn't talk to my college football coach. I looked at her and said "I'll protect you. Follow me." So I told everyone in the group a lie that she was my adopted sister and if they tried to fuck with her that I would fuck them up within an inch of their lives. Granted, that was an outright lie but I felt she needed to be assured that AA was a safe place for her. I always looked out for her like she was my little sister and we used to joke with one another about being siblings.

As a result, Amber is still sober and living in Minneapolis. I was fortunate enough to have her be a part of our wedding when my wife and I wed. She told me for a rough and tumble kind of dude that I was, she was happy that I found someone special to spend the rest of my life with in a committed relationship. She also thanked me for looking out for her in her early sobriety. Unfortunately, there are other women who enter the fellowship who weren't or aren't as fortunate. By letting this practice happen and sticking our heads in the sand, AA unity will eventually dissolve slowly but surely leaving this fellowship in the trash heap of history. If this pissed off and sometimes crabby AAer has anything to say about it, I ain't going down without a fight to make this organization a safe haven for all who seek help. May God have mercy on the souls of the transgressors who seek to tarnish the AA name for their own twisted agenda because, and be forewarned, I won't. This is the least I can do for an organization that means a lot to me.

And with that being said, I will defer my comments about AAers practicing medicine without a license for another blog. However, any person that truly cares about the AA program should be concerned about the shenanigans going on with the Midtown and Foxhall Groups. At this point, I will not be silent anymore because this shit does affect AA as a whole.

FOM has, with permission, reposted this Blog from a FOM supporter's site.

Monday, May 14, 2007

Mind Control and other things...

Okay, I think that it's about time that I wrote this blog. This is another one that some of you may like and others will strongly disagree with. That's fine. You are entitled to your opinions, but at the same time, I am entitled to mine and I hope that my friends can respect that. I may loose a few friends off my friends list for this one, but I am sick of tip-toeing around people with my feelings on this matter. So... what is the topic? Midtown.

Well, I have to say first that I have over five years of experience with them (3.5 years of that have been spent completly devoted to that group). I entered that particular homegroup four days after my 16th birthday and fell in love with what I saw. People were friendly, welcoming, and seemed to have tons of fun without drinking and drugging, which at that point in my life, was refeshing to see. Yes, I believed that some of the things that took place there were odd (Sponser direction? Pigeons? Slamming?), but I figured that I'd give it a try anyways. Over that 3.5 years here are the things I observed:

Okay, I think that it's about time that I wrote this blog. This is another one that some of you may like and others will strongly disagree with. That's fine. You are entitled to your opinions, but at the same time, I am entitled to mine and I hope that my friends can respect that. I may loose a few friends off my friends list for this one, but I am sick of tip-toeing around people with my feelings on this matter. So... what is the topic? Midtown.

Well, I have to say first that I have over five years of experience with them (3.5 years of that have been spent completly devoted to that group). I entered that particular homegroup four days after my 16th birthday and fell in love with what I saw. People were friendly, welcoming, and seemed to have tons of fun without drinking and drugging, which at that point in my life, was refeshing to see. Yes, I believed that some of the things that took place there were odd (Sponser direction? Pigeons? Slamming?), but I figured that I'd give it a try anyways. Over that 3.5 years here are the things I observed:

MEDICATIONS:

Within my first week there, my sponser was addiment about me getting off of my medications (doctor prescribed, not abused). Within three months, I was off of them, truely believing that I was not sober if I continued to take them. I never detoxed off of any kind of drug or alcohol, but I have to say that I did off of my meds. Why? I pretty much stopped cold turkey and without a doctor montoring or advising me.

DOCTORS:

After 18 months, I was told that I needed "one clear voice" and that it was unnessecary and a waste of time to continue seeing my therapist. Actually, I was told that earlier, but at 18 months, I finally caved and ceased seeing him. I was also told that my only problem was alcoholism which only working a good program with a good sponser could help. My therapist could do nothing for me and my addiction.

DATING:

I was never told whom I should sleep with. I do believe the people who have said that they were told this without a shadow of a doubt, but I will say that it never really happened to me. A lot of people would suggest that I should go on dates with certain people who did not interest me, but that was about it in that respect. I was, on the other hand, told who NOT to sleep with. I feared telling my sponser that I had gone out with certain people because I was afraid of being "slammed" and "fired." How many times during piegon meetings was I made to feel like a slut because of something that I had done? Countless. I felt confused because everyone else seemed to be having sex, so why was I being ridiculed by the people I loved and trusted for these actions? What I did notice about the men was that as soon as our "relationship" (if that's what you could call it) was over, they moved on very quickly. Usually to someone new to the program and/or my friends. When I talked to my sponser about how much this hurt me, I again, was told that I was being selfish and that I did not own these men. I kept the feelings of hurt mostly to myself and my closest friends.

WOMEN'S MEETINGS:

The monthly women's meeting... What a sight to see! I dug my heels into the ground for most of my time in Midtown when it came to this particular topic. For my first three years or so, they were held at people's houses and then all of a sudden they moved to the church in Kensington where the Monday and Tuesday night meetings are held. I never quite got a clear-cut answer as to why it moved, so I can only speculate. If I had to guess, I would say that it was because people got sick of having over 100 women in their houses for five hours (two hours before to set up and have "the meeting before the meeting", hour and a half... usually longer for the meeting to actually take place, and at least an hour afterwards for the socializing and cleaning up) late on a Wednesday night. Anyways, as for what went on in these monthly meetings... Pretty much the same people always led them. Brigette, Beth, Barbara, Susan, etc, etc. Occasionally they would switch it up, but never to anyone outside of their homegroup. Always the same old stories. I bet you that I could recite their stories better than my own. Seriously. I don't remember most of them in detail because I did attend a lot of those meetings over 3 years, but topics that stood out on the regular were things like "I am a lousy girlfriend" and "I am self-centered". There is one meeting I recall that absolutly got out of hand. Someone began to talk about their STD, which would have been fine... if it wasn't an A.A. meeting. Soon, almost everyone was talking about it! The topic of alcohol and recovery barely even made an apperance! I had a lot of trouble relating to the things being said because I, well... don't have an STD.

I never really understood all of the crying that went on in the monthly women's meeting either. I wanted too, but I had trouble seeing what the point of a meeting was if all we were going to do was bitch about how bad our lives were and cry about how we were selfish... and believe me, I am a crier and even I felt uncomfortable there. Seating arrangements were practically assigned. There was never enough seats for everyone, so of course, the people who had more "time" were allowed to sit on the couches. Next came the people whom they sponsered who were considered to be the most "in the middle". I think that I may have gotten a seat once or twice in a chair, but I had to get there reeaaaallly early.

The annual Christmas meeting was held at Mike Q's house. Have you seen his house?!?! Well, if not, it is very teeny-tiny. Try cramming over 100 women into a space that is about half the size of your average 7-11. That's what it was like. Mike always led it and talked so quietly that I could hardly hear him, even if I got a seat that was close to him. He rarely picked people to speak during the meeting that raised their hands. Just those who he felt needed to be revealed to everyone as doubters and those who he felt would make him and his homegroup look good. He always handed out zeroxed copies (somehow never enough for everyone) of random passages and quotes. I never did quite understand them, but that's besides the point. I do, however, remember that they were collected at the end of the meeting and I never saw one removed from the house. I am not sure why. When I questioned why Mike always lead the holiday meeting and why not a woman, the answer was always, "That's the way it is. He has the most time in the group." I'm not saying that all women's meetings are bad, because I have since attended a few women's meetings that I found right on topic and a pleasure to be at. What I am saying is that I did not find those women's meetings in the Midtown Group.

WOMEN IN GENERAL:

The women in the group would always ask me how I was doing if we got to talking. To this day, I have trouble telling people what is really going on in my world for fear of being judged and having them give me unsolicited advice. When I would tell someone that I had endured a hard day or that I was stressed, only one thing would come of it. I would be told how to live my life. I was just being "self-centered". I should sponser more people. I got so sick of hearing how it was always my fault if I just had one of those days that didn't seem to go right (I'm sure that we've all had them, so you know which days I speak of), that I just began to give fake, candy-coated answers. When my day really was fine, people tried to pull and pry answers out of me. It was almost as if I had to search for a problem that wasn't there!

I won't lie and say that I liked all of the women in that group either. I'm not going to name names, but there was quite a few bitches that I disliked and still do not want to endure their company to this day. Maybe some of the girls I disliked are nice people or maybe they are just what I think they are... Still, it does not change the fact that even though I did not enjoy their company, I had to pretend I did. Otherwise, I was told that I was being "unprincipled" and that I could be "cutting of the woman who one day saves my life". Some how I always managed to get a mental picture of the bossy girl with bad breath (I told you I wasn't naming names!) pulling me off the edge of a cliff from which I somehow wound up dangling precariously from. Either way, I did as I was told to not piss off my sponser and smiled when the girl handed me what she thought was my inventory. All the time, I wondered how I was ever supposed to ask for help if I felt like drinking from girls who called me selfish all the time.

BODY IMAGE:

You may think that my body image was not affected in this group, but it would be far from the truth. I was told early on that I could not wear certain clothes and that I smelled bad. I took a shower daily, but still my sponser told me that when people hugged me, they said that I smelled really bad. Now I can see that these statements were false, but at 16 years old I was humiliated and crushed. I have no idea why she would want to make me insecure except my own speculation of trying to beat me into humility. They say that is very important in their meetings. She told me that I needed to loose weight and that I didn't excersise enough. Where did this lead me throughout sobriety? I would stop eating for long periods of time. At one point, someone close to me caught on, and montiored my food intake. Other than that, nobody noticed much. When I did actually loose weight legitimatly, I was accused of being belimic (anyone who knows me well knows that I am an emetaphobic, so it would be hard for those accusations to be true).

GAY, BLACK, ASIAN, OR ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE NORM:

Another observation about Midtown. There aren't many minorities there. I only recall seeing a few asian people pass through in my whole time there. As for black people, numbers were only slightly higher and usually for sponsership, they were refered to one of the few black people in attendance at the meetings. Gay? Well, for a meeting that was held for so many years in Dupont Circle (which is largely famous for it's acceptance of gay crowds), there was a lot to be said for the fact that I only could tell you the names of two gay guys and a lesbian couple in attendance of a meeting of over 300 people. Pretty odd numbers, isn't it?

PERSONAL STYLE:

I mentioned having to change certain things about the way I dressed earlier. What I did not tell you was that I saw many people come in with hair every color of the rainbow, piercings, tattoos, etc... I was told when I was in that homegroup that I was not allowed to get anymore piercings and a tattoo was out of the question. When people saw my nose ring right before I left that group, the biggest question was if my sponser had okayed it. Are you serious? They accused me of "just trying to be different". I was starting to see that they wanted me to be cookie-cutter images of themselves in order to be accepted. The more I resisted, the more they up-ed the pressure.

SPONSERSHIP:

I really hate to talk about this part. I can't believe that I let myself be so controlled. I had to ask my sponser's permission to do the stupidest things. Could I date a certain guy? Numerous times, she did not approve. When she did not approve and I went against what she said, I would be get the threats of if I did not end it, I would have to find a new sponser. What did who I date, have to do with my recovery and the 12 steps? When I first asked her to be my sponser, it was because the pressure was on. "Find a sponser now!" they insisted. I didn't know her well at all, but she seemed kind and patient. When I asked, she asked me a question... "Can you follow direction?" What did she mean? I had a very good sense of direction. If she gave me directions on how to get to the meeting I could figure it out easily, but something told me that wasn't what she meant. I answered with, "I think so." Her reply... "That's a yes or no question." The first time I had been in the program several years before, the sponser I had had never asked me that when she began to sponser me. She just told me to write out my story. I said yes anyways and everytime in the future I did not take her advice on something, she reminded me of the verbal contract I had made with her. If I didn't do what she said, I would loose my sponser and when you sponser hop, you get drunk... at least that was what they told me. Early on, her roommates and friends would come to me and ask how I was doing. At first I just thought that they cared and after they would bring up things like fights with my parents and other things, it dawned on me that she was telling them everything I had told her in confidence. I had a few sponsers in Midtown. This seemed to be the case with all of them, but one. That one, is still my friend to this day and to her, I would like to say thank you for not breaking my trust.

THE BEACH:

I really liked the idea of going to the beach on the weekends in the summer. Infact, I still do think that the whole beach house thing started of as a great idea! People should know that you can still have fun in sobriety! Life doesn't end just because you stop getting fucked up! Still, as everything else in Midtown, this concept seems to have been taken to the extreme. There are strict rules... people with less time sleep on the floors more often than not and couples usually got first dibs on the rooms (just another perk of having a significant other I guess). My first beach weekend, I was told that I was to do what the person I was staying with was doing. I wound up getting very badly burnt on the beach because I was out in the sun too long. Despite my brilliantly red skin, chills, and dizziness (not to mention the ill feeling in my stomach), my pleas to be taken to the emergency care center were ignored. I was told yet again that I was just being self-centered and that a meeting would help. During the meeting, one of the "oldtimers" asked if I had drank with a pitying look on his face. When I gave him an honest answer (No), I could tell that he didn't believe me. Later that night, at a party, my grandsponser preceeded to scream in my face in front of everyone. Why? Because I was being selfish since I was in pain. The next day, she acted as if nothing had happened the night before and asked me if I would like to sit with her on the beach that day. Not before telling my sponser a wharped version of the story first though.

I also noticed that the beach houses seemed to be a prime place for hook-ups. It was similar to high school, which for the first few years went without a second thought for me because I was in high school. It seemed normal. What was not normal was that there were adults involved in the game. Not just running in, but playing too. A few times when I saw Mike Q. at the beach, I noticed that everyone seemed to be the orchestra and he was the conducter. When he moved his chair to face what he thought was the perfect angle for the sun, so did everyone else. They all laughed at what he had to say and furrowed their brows in attempts to look intent when he spoke of more serious matters... but I will speak more on that in a minute.

GROUP EVENTS:

I love this idea too. Camping trips, Easter Egg Hunts, Scavenger Hunts, Picnics, Dances, "Watches", the list goes on and on... Once more, sobriety should not be boring! But, some of these things were too sketchy for young people (anyone for that matter) to be involved in. I had tons of fun my first camp out, but it seemed like everyone there was having sex. I was assigned to clean up the camp with some other people when the whole thing was over. I can't tell you how many USED condoms I found scattered throughout the campsites. Everybody seemed to talk of the sexcapades like they were nothing. Everyone seemed to have slept with everyone else at some point or another throughout their sobriety and everyone loved comparing notes. The events were fun, but it was pretty much impossible to go on the sleep-away ones if you weren't a homegroup member. Space always was said to be limited and events were over-priced. I eventually did some of the math on the play event. I'm not sure exactly how much it would cost to rent an auditorium like that, but lets just say $3000 for the night and $2000 for the place where the dance is held. And that is an over-exaggeration. All of the food is donated by people, all of the costumes are clothes that the actors brought from home. The DJ volunteers his/her services and is not even given a small donation for gas. Decorations would be about $100 and coffee and soda for the night, about $100. This equals a total cost of $5,200. Over 300 people attend the event at $25 a piece. This is a grand total of $2,300. Where is that extra money going? That question was answered soon after I left Midtown.

SEX WITH MINORS:

I would like to say that I was not one of the girls that was sexually abused by Mike Q. or any of his lieutenants. I do believe the girls that say they were and stand by them 110%. I feel bad for the years they spent with their secret and hope that one day, they can feel safe from what has happened to them. I do know some of the girls who are coming forward and I do know some of those who are afraid. I do feel and always did feel that the sex with underage girls was wrong. I do know it goes on in that group and anyone who knows how to add can see that. I watched it go on for years and to this day, I feel terrible that I didn't speak up with my convictions about it in any more than passing conversations with my sponser (where I was of course told that it was none of my business).

THE MEETINGS THEMSELVES:

There is almost a foreign language being spoken in those rooms. You have already heard me use some of it... Here are the definitions:

"Slammed"- To be told off or scolded by one's sponser. Usually involves yelling.

"Fired"- Their sponser told them that they could not help them and that they could no longer sponser them.

"Pigeon"- A person who is sponsered by someone.

"Pigeon Meetings"- private house meetings where sponsers and sponsees will hold dinner and a meeting once a month (sometimes more, sometimes less).

"Sponser"- In real AA. this is someone who helps you through the 12 steps. In Midtown, they not only help you work the steps, but run every other aspect of your life too.

"Sponser Direction"- The orders a sponser gives you to follow. They are not optional.

"Time"- the amount of sobriety or "clean time" someone has.

"In the middle"- someone is in the middle when they are mimicking the actions of the people in Midtown with time.

"Watches" — this is the celebration that one has when they get one year sober. Just before midnight on the anniversery, everyone gathers at a party or meeting place and literally counts down, watching the person turn one year sober. Great idea, but too much emphasis is put on these parties in the Midtown group.

If you attend a regular meeting, just see how many times someone shares that their sponsers "slammed" them and how they aren't "in the middle" and that will lead them to drink. Usually, people shared how crazy they were. Mike Q. rarely opened his mouth in meetings, but when he did it was usually incoherant and rubish that didn't make sense. Despite being diagnosed with cancer, he never shared about it when I was in the group and I never once saw that man cry or show any other type of emotion. Instead of speaking of A.A. helping them stay sober, people often say "the group helps me stay sober" instead. Can you guess which group they are talking about?

MIKE Q HIMSELF:

I never spoke much with him. I had a question on the traditions once and I was told by my sponser to ask him. Figures. I don't remember much of what he said, but my question was something about having a day where we did a capture the flag event again. His first question to me was, what event does it support? I didn't get it. Why couldn't we just have a sober capture the flag event for fun? Why did there have to be a group sponsering it? He said because all of the money we took in through the event had to go somewhere. What money? I thought. It would only cost a dollar or so a person for the glow necklaces needed... This should have been a red flag, but since I was new to the program, I didn't really understand the traditions too much.

The first time I met Mike was when he came to visit from living in Tampa. It was at a Tuesday or Friday noon meeting. Before the meeting started, he came up, rubbed my back up and down as he said, "Welcome. So glad that you are here." I wrote it off as him just being a nice, friendly old man, but part of me never could shake the creepy grin across his face. When I asked my sponser who he was, she said, "Oh that's Mike. He has the most time in the group." I knew from that point on that he was not someone I could disagree with if I wanted to keep my new friends. Over the years, I watched people worship the ground he walked in. I heard of people cleaning his house for him, washing his car, raking his leaves, mowing his grass, picking up his dry cleaning, the list goes on... There were so many chores it was ridiculous. I never heard anyone talk back to him or challenge what he had to say. I later found out that his car was paid for by a woman he sponsers to this day. His cell phone bill was also paid for by his sponsees and on top of that, it was a secret number in which anyone who wanted to contact him would have to get though someone who was already worthy enough to have it. Then you would have to make an appointment to call and the rules were that when you called, you would have to be alone. Nobody else could hear the call. I questioned this information and sure enough, my sponser left me. I am grateful for this because it was then and only then that I was able to gather up the courage to leave that group.

IN CONCLUSION:

As for where do I stand on all of the controversy? Well, I believe that many people in Midtown are good, well-intentioned people. They just want to be sober and are trying to work what they think are the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (no matter how contorted the steps have been by Mike and his followers). Still, there are those who are so far gone from reality and want nothing more than Mike's comfort and happiness no matter what it takes. The characteristics of Midtown allign perfectly with that of a full-blown cult. If you don't believe me, do what I did. Google a cult check-list and see what you find. Answer the questions on the list HONESTLY and maybe things will be clearer to you.

So, is Midtown a cult? I am not a specialist, but I would have to say YES. It is. Was I once a part of it? YES. Did I leave completly? YES. Am I still sober? YES. Do I still consider myself a member of Alcoholics Anonymous? I AM STILL TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT. Do I think that Mike is a sick person who should be put in prision for the remainder of his life? YES. Do I support FOM and L&S;? MORE THAN EVER BEFORE. Am I resentful? NO. Do I agree with the people who put their names in the news? YES. Do I think it was a bad idea? NO. MORE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS GROUP. Do I think it violates traditions? YES AND NO. I THINK WHEN THE TRADITIONS WERE ESTABLISHED, THEY NEVER EXPECTED SOMETHING LIKE A CULT TO INFILTRATE THE GROUPS OF AA. Was it neccessary? YES. GSO WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO PROTECT THE MEMEBERS OF AA, SO YES, GOING PUBLIC WAS NECCESSARY. Do I judge those who stay in Midtown? NO. I WANT THEM TO DO WHAT MAKES THEM HAPPY, EVEN IF I DISAGREE WITH IT.

*Last Updated:* Jun 14, 2007

*Gender*: Female
*Status*: In a Relationship
*Age*: 72
*Sign*: Gemini

*City*: Every Place Possible
*State*: Washington DC
*Country*: US

*Signup Date*: 12/11/06

Thursday, June 14, 2007

I'm beginning to wonder if we're in the same program of recovery?
Current mood: infuriated

READ THIS BLOG FROM THE BOTTOM, TO THE TOP. THIS IS EXACTLY (OTHER THAN THE NAME EDITING BECAUSE OF PERSONAL ANONYMITY ISSUES) HOW IT APPEARS IN OUR SENT/INBOX. HOW CONDITIONED DO YOU THINK THIS PERSON IS? READ IT FOR YOURSELF AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF. THEN ASK YOURSELF THIS; WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP THESE NEWCOMERS WHO HAVE BEEN GOING TO AA, YET ARE COMPLETELY DENIED THE PROGRAM OF RECOVERY BY SOME BLEEDING DEACONS WHO CANNOT SEE PAST THEIR OWN WANTS?

FALL OF MIDTOWN. AKA: THE Q. GROUP
Date: Jun 13, 2007 8:20 PM

That was fast!!!

Seriously, I'm sorry to have bothered you. This Editor has no wish to bother anyone. I asked if I could help, here at FOM, so I'm trying to help. If you ever want help, I'll help you find a male sponsor who will show you what everyone outside of the Midtown Cult see's. Until then, I'm going to delete our connection, so that you don't think that we're spying on you, which is obviously not the truth. Peace be with you. FOM

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: (NAMEWITHELD)
Date: Jun 13, 2007 8:13 PM

Okay who told you anything about me?

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: THE FALL OF MIDTOWN. AKA: THE Q. GROUP
Date: Jun 13, 2007 5:12 PM

I'm sorry to have bothered you. We were informed that you were ready to listen, but that information was faulty. If you want to deny that you are being misled by a Cult, disguised as an AA Group... That is your business. Exposing this Cult and helping people get out of it is FOM's business.

By the way, 2 of us here are female and only one of here is male and I'm one of the females, who by chance, isn't that much older than you. Asking questions would help you discover the truth much easier than making quick assumptions. Just a thought.

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: (NAME WITHELD)
Date: Jun 13, 2007 7:58 PM

I've read your whole fuckin' page. And it's all bullshit. Get a fucking life, stop worry about shit that doesn't concern you. How about you stop and think for a second... your job is to stalk children. And yes I know what a fucking cult is, and your page is saying that theres a cult in Midtown and shit. Shutup. AND ANSWER THIS QUESTION! WHY DID YOU ADD ME? HOW DID YOU EVEN KNOW MY NAME/ACCOUNT?

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: THE FALL OF MIDTOWN. AKA: THE Q. GROUP
Date: Jun 13, 2007 4:54 PM

What is a Cult? Do you know what a Cult is? How is The Midtown Group practices different from a Cult's practices? Think about it for a moment.

----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: (NAME WITHELD)
Date: Jun 13, 2007 7:47 PM

(NAME WITHELD) has posted a new comment about you on MySpace!

According to your privacy settings, all comments must be approved by you before they appear on your profile.

(NAME WITHELD) Comment:

"We aren't cultists you fuckin' bible hugging bitch. Were just people who hang out in Midtown, and don't ever let catch you spying on me ya fuckin queers. Find something better to do than observe children all day. Fags."

* I forgive you *

I comend you on the way that you handled this. Dignity and grace even when someone was acting like a child. Keep up the good work! Maybe, hopefully, one day those who have been so blinded will be ready and willing to listen. Until then, all we can do is share our experience, strength, and hope!

Posted by * I forgive you *
on Thursday, June 14, 2007 at 1:18 PM

Stefan

Wow, what an angry, indignant little piglet. Poor thing. I had no idea the magnitude of the mind control taking place over there. Very, very sad. Keep up the great work.

Posted by *Stefan*
on Thursday, June 14, 2007 at 4:21 PM

Shirley Ann

"Let's have a moment of silence for those who are still sick and suffering, in and out of the rooms."

Believe it or not, I feel sorry for this poor soul. I'll include them in the prayer I say every day for my fellow alcoholics.

Repost PseudoName's blog — You can help!

Please take the time to...

1. Copy this letter:

   June 20, 2007 John McCarthy State's Attorney for Montgomery County Maryland Office of the State's Attorney 50 Maryland Avenue Rockville, MD 20850 states.attorney@montgomerycountymd.gov RE: THE MIDTOWN GROUP/ Q GROUP, A LOCAL CULT-LIKE GROUP Dear Mr. McCarthy, I am sending you this letter because I'm concerned about the men, women, and children being victimized by certain members of the "Midtown Group" or "Q Group". The Midtown Group is a cult-like organization that operates under the guise of being a legitimate Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) group in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area. You may be aware of the recent media coverage on this group that began with an article in Newsweek magazine, dated May 7, 2007 (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/1868218/site/newsweek/). Since this story broke, three local TV networks (Fox, ABC, and NBC) have also aired stories on the Midtown Group. (Links to 10 informative news broadcasts are provided below). Fox News broadcast, May 8, 2006, http://www.myfoxdc.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=3150340&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=3.2.1 ABC News broadcast, May 8, 2007, http://dynamic.wjla.com/watchvideo.hrb?s=wjla&id=2195 NBC News broadcast, May 11, 2007, http://www.nbc4.com/news/13306389/detail.html NBC News broadcast, May 14, 2007, http://www.nbc4.com/news/13317282/detail.html?dl=mainclick NBC News broadcast, May 14, 2007, http://video.nbc4.com/player/?id=103936 FOX News broadcast, May 14, 2007, http://www.myfoxdc.com/myfox/pages/ContentDetail?contentId=3206140 NBC News broadcast the week of May 14th, http://video.nbc4.com/player/?id=104812 NBC News broadcast follow up, dated May 17, 2007, http://video.nbc4.com/player/?id=105282 NBC News broadcast follow up, dated May 21, 2007, http://www.nbc4.com/news/13361410/detail.html NBC News broadcast, May 22 2007, http://www.nbc4.com/news/13368456/detail.html?dl=headlineclick I would like to make you aware of some facts about this group: The Midtown Group is a hierarchy-based cult, with one leader at the top, directing a descending order of followers. The cult leader disseminates information and instructions through "sponsorship" lines that spread throughout the group directly from him. The Midtown Group is comprised of attractive, young, sober people looking for direction from an Alcoholics Anonymous group. Joining seems to be a harmless, helpful, and appealing way of life. The Midtown Group promotes a belief that medications are fundamentally contrary to sobriety, encouraging people to immediately stop taking doctor-prescribed medication. The Midtown Group lost a member to suicide last summer, a child who had been on psychiatric medications and then stopped abruptly at the direction of his Midtown sponsor. The Midtown Group is the focus of repeated allegations of underage sex, some in writing. Common among the allegations are reports that teenagers are directed by their sponsors to perform sexual acts with elder group members for the purpose of strengthening their sobriety. The Midtown Group will attempt to control a member's assets, particularly cash, and use those assets at their discretion for the "good of the group." The Midtown Group is currently, and has been, under police investigation(s). Detective Peter Worden, with the Montgomery County Elder Crimes Division, (240) 773-5449 and Detective Jonathan Andrews, with the District of Columbia Child Internet Pornography Division, (202) 576-5219 have both investigated this group and are available for victims who choose to come forward with their experiences. The men and women in Midtown may currently be sober and credit that sobriety to this group. I don't disagree with that. The challenge that faces an alcoholic to achieve and maintain sobriety is enormous. It's important to underscore the fact that some people will do whatever it takes to overcome that challenge. But, I feel the cost of one's individual sobriety, when being used to cultivate and perpetuate a dogma of illegal and dangerous boundaries, is too high a price. This cult needs to be stopped. I believe these men, women, and children are in danger. For example, if your young, attractive daughter were in the Midtown Group, her sexuality would most likely be controlled. Decisions would be made for her, typically without her input. She would subordinate her free will to make choices about her personal relationships, body and life to her sponsor, who ultimately takes his/her direction from the leader of this group. If your son were a member of the Midtown Group, his assets would likely be immediately inventoried, evaluated and flagged for future manipulation. He would also be marginalized as an individual incapable of managing his own affairs and be strongly encouraged to trust that only his sponsor possessed that capability. The following events occurred in the wake of the news reports: On May 9th, 2007, the Midtown Group was suspended from meeting in St. Patrick's Episcopal Church in Washington, DC, as a result of its unwanted notoriety in the Newsweek and ABC stories. St. Patrick's had hosted Midtown's largest meeting on Sunday nights. On May 14th, 2007, another meeting of the Midtown Group was banned from meeting at St. Mark's Presbyterian Church in Rockville, MD as a result of the many allegations made about this group. On May 22, 2007, NBC 4 reported that "Midtown is now prohibited from holding meetings at the Avery Road combined care facility". This was reported to NBC by an Avery Road official. This information has been made available to you so that you are aware of this predatory group and in the hope that you will share it with your constituents. The information cited above is supported and researched. You are encouraged to speak with members of local AA — including those who have left the group as well as current members of the group — about this matter. Thank you for your attention to this sensitive matter. I am seeking your assistance in stopping this group from continuing to harm its current members and any additional alcoholics attempting to get sober. Sincerely,   ____________________________________ Your Signature   Print Name and Address ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________   cc: J. Thomas Manger, Chief of Police, MCPDChief@montgomerycountymd.gov Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. President of the Maryland Senate, thomas.v.mike.miller@senate.state.md.us

2. Paste it into an email or word document

3. Copy this email/ word document this same document to these AA boards/ representatives:

   A.A. World Services, Inc.,
   P.O. Box 459, New York, NY 10163
   (212) 870-3400 publicinfo@aa.org

   Advisory Council for the International Conference of Young People in AA
   P.O. Box 46078 Denver, Colorado 80201
   advisory@icypaa.org

   Chairperson of the Washington Area Intergroup Association
   WAIA Central Office, 4530 Conn. Ave, Washington DC NW 20008
   aa-dc@starpower.net

4. Ask your friends to do the same.