The Right to Be Wrong

After moving out West, I attended a beginners meeting one afternoon. A man stood at the door greeting people this way: "Are you new? Do you have a desire to stop drinking?" If the individual didn't admit to having such a desire, he or she was invited to leave and go to another meeting. I was furious. Where I got sober, no one was ever asked to leave an AA meeting unless they were causing a disturbance. In disgust I left this meeting and went to another being held nearby.