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Can u be banned from a AA Club/meeting

we recently had a guy threatening violence against a family member and some AAs and club members and he was removed from the meeting and the police called....the family member in question has a restraining order and what not on this fella...just wondering if any AAs out there have any sort of information as far as AAs stance and what not...can he be denied from a meeting if he IS/HAS threatened violence upon attending people...i'd love to hear some things about this...this fella hasnt done this just once...multiple times and it has come to the point the police have come to this building on several occasions...anyhow...help me out here...i'm staying out of it until i get more information..thanks all who will comment

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tommy on December 28, 2009 at 12:49am: Uhm...as I said at the start of this thread - not even a close call. Not my opinion - fact.

And just what's up with this seemingly popular club and all the FOBs here who attend it??? Is this some Plato's Retreat AA Club?? If so I could be there by tomorrow night. What night is Grudge Match Night?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by ralph h deep jr. on December 28, 2009 at 9:48am: ive been touting for a stripper pool and jello wrestling for years . you have a good sence of humor tom i like you already; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by AnnaDrama on December 28, 2009 at 11:18am: You guys REALLY need some serious help...lolololololololol!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Tom on December 28, 2009 at 1:22pm: are you volunteering? :D; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by AnnaDrama on December 28, 2009 at 3:21pm: Well, I do love jello....oops, did I say that out loud?????
OMG, better call my sponsor!!!!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by T0mmyD on December 29, 2009 at 11:09pm: Remember that a "Club House" is not owned by "AA". I was president of a club house down here in New Port Richey, Fl back in 1996. It was common to ban someone who was a threat to a member or disruptive to the club. We could not ban that person from attending meetings at the premises as at the time there was no other meetings that a local might be able to attend if they were on foot. Some are sicker than others but would eventually understand the reasoning for being banned from the club house. In order to rescind the ban a the Board of Directors would have to discuss the matter and vote on it. This was for the safety of all concerned.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Chris M. on December 30, 2009 at 6:57pm: We had a similar situation in my old hometown, and the group conscience decided to allow the member on the condition that he not threaten or intimidate anyone at the meeting. He wasn't given "rules" in advance, but other members were on stand by to call police if the man threatened anyone or did anything to indicate he might be violent. If he did, police were called and, a few times, he went to jail on charges of initimidation, battery or whatever. I heard after I left my hometown the guy keeled over dead with a heart attack. I think the key to all this, though, is that, in the spirit of the Program, it the group's conscience that should set the standard for its own meeting and not the decision of the person chairing or leading the meeting. How about putting it before the group?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Rod Higginson on December 31, 2009 at 2:11am: yep,down to the group, but surely meetings are where we should all feel safe?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by gregory james merkel on December 31, 2009 at 2:56am: If he is in violation of the rules of the club and the meeting he should be asked to follow the rules or be escorted from the building by members or by the local law enforcement officials.He does not have the right to threaten other members.I belong to a large club and over the years numerous people have been banned from the building by the board for various legal and behavioral offenses.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by David L. Berry on December 31, 2009 at 4:55pm: I just read all the responses. Isn't it amazing how reasonable we alcoholics can be? Tommy's initial reply says it all.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Rory Fischer on January 3, 2010 at 10:47pm: the big book states you can never be thrown out of A.A.YOU ARE ALWAYS WELCOME. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A MEETING PLACE AND PAY RENT AND a person is disruptive, or violent,they may be escorted out of the meeting and can go to other meeting or come back to this one IF THEY DON;T CAUSE ANY TROUBLE in general terms thats it but in some cases of violence its a different approach.We are sick people and when our sickness is in action, we must protect ourselves and others, when bodily harm is threatened, it take serious action and the law inforcement should take over because,we are not policemen.WE are not enablers,sometimes the nature of the addict is to help a friend or someone, who needs a place to stay or cash..MY SPONSOR SAYS NO NO NO,YOU DO NOT HELP ANOTHER FELLOW ADDICT,with money, maybe some food maybe a coat, but thats it...we are or should be self supporting...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bill LeBo on January 30, 2010 at 10:26pm: Pretty self explanatory. While no AA group or member can speak for AA as a whole, I think it is in the best interest of everyone that this individual not be allowed at this club. It is also "the right of every group to be wrong"......that was written by our founder in AA Comes of Age. That statement in itself is enough to give any AA group the authority to do exactly as it chooses, right, wrong, or indifferently; But common sense is all that is needed here. In a civil society, no individual has the right to threaten harm against another. An AA meeting is supposed to be a safe haven for those who are willing, and working at, getting better. It is obvious (if what you say is true) that this gentleman is creating an unsafe environment, and does not seem to be willing to provide the same courtesy and respect that he requires of others. Man, I could go on all day. Bottom line is, the guy should be out on his ass. Good luck with this. Exclusion for any reason, is never an easy decision.; ▶ Reply to This