Politics in 12-step meetings? Anyone else run into this sort of thing?

[raccoon]

Not long before the illegal invasion of Iraq, I went to an AA meeting that I attended at that time, and someone was holding forth about his negative opinions toward the world-wide protests in January of 2003. I said, "Excuse me, what does this have to do with AA or sobriety?" He saw the error of his ways and backed off.

Then a woman chimed in and put in her 2 cents worth. The chair of the meeting basically sat there like a bump on a log. I got up and walked out.

Feelings are running high about politics these days, and to me, AA/Al Anon, etc., is no place to discuss politics. That meeting, as you may imagine, did nothing for my serenity or peace of mind. If I had been a newcomer, that might have been the last meeting I ever went to.

It is the responsibility of the person who is chairing the meeting to put the lid on this kind of B.S. If he/she does not, I don't consider that meeting a safe place to come and share, or even to come and listen.

Any one had any similar experiences in the last 8 years or so?