Today, when virtually every hospital, treatment center, court and prison mandates AA referral, the result is that many AA meetings are overrun by a growing assortment of sullen, recalcitrant men and women mandated to attend AA meetings by their employers, judges and probation and parole officers, who out number the core members by two or three to one on a given night (p.278). I have heard other informal estimates that put the number of what I am calling POW members of AA at more than 70 per cent of the current AA membership. It is not uncommon to hear AA members complain that AA has lost its soul. White cites one such effort, by the widely respected AA historian Ernest Kurtz, to recover the real AA.
Quote from Marty N in his Review of book:
Slaying the Dragon
Marty is with Life Ring Secular Recovery
(Formerly SOS)

LDP your host has the view that the real percentages are probably not as high as stated in the above quote. In Certain geographic areas in the largest cities in America this might be partially true. In the cities he has traveled (see host page) he feels that the percentage is 25-30 %, and less in many groups and localities. But he agrees with the basic fact that more need to get back to the AA Roots or Real AA and Learn more about AA History. However much 12 step work and spiritual growth can be had via working with the types of newcomers listed above.
We all need to remember that the origins of AA were a direct result of Roland Hazzard's Sponsorship of Ebby Thatcher, preventing Ebby from Going to Jail or Prison. Ebby was our Original court ordered Paper Signer. He then later (a sober member of the Oxford Group) carried the message to Bill Wilson. If I owe my sobriety to Bill Wilson and AA then I also owe it to the original paper signer Ebby T. I want to thank John G of Okla for reminding me to post this fact on my webs!!
Thanks John!
Editor LD P also notes that he too is a sober by-product of the Court System as a repeat DWI offender sent to AA. He too is a former paper signer and proud of it and is so very grateful to be clean and sober (now over 5 years) !! The Ultimate way to show gratitude is to continue to help the sullen recalcitrant men and women mandated to attend AA meetings to achieve sobriety!!!

LD P adds: DickB is currently my Nominee in regards to the above mentioned effort to find AA's soul. He is the man who is Championing
the return to the old roots of AA the Real AA. However I feel that Ernest Kurtz, AA historian is the world's leading authority on AA history
He presents history for its own sake. However, Dick B's agenda, and Dick B.'s ten year search into the true background and history of the Beginnings of AA is phenomenal! The amount of Historical details He makes available in his Book Turning Point is mind boggling. All AA's should read and purchase this book to discover how our AA Society originated, and why the early AA's had such a higher success rate of long term sobriety than we have in AA Today ! There is so much more to the origination of AA than presented in Conference Approved literature from GSO. I had no idea that Ann Smith (Dr. Bob's Wife) and Rev. Samuel Shoemaker had so many influences on the development of A.A. Sam Shoemaker is certainly a true Co-Founder of AA. I knew our AA had its origins in the Oxford Group, but again I had no idea (till reading Dick B) that almost every aspect of what we say and do today in AA comes directly from the Oxford Group's 28 principles and the many many books written about the Oxford Group and By Oxford Group Members.

I want to Recommend at this time that all interested in AA History also should also begin with Ernest Kurtz's Not-God A History of AA. It is a very valuable contribution to our AA history and I have spent the last ten months reading and comprehending all Ernie K has to say in this book!

Also From your own AA history and reading group!!
Click here Info on Dickb's webs about this subject