Parallel Passages in the Big Book and 12&12:

Under no condition do we criticize such a person 

or argue. Simply we tell him that we will never get 

over drinking until we have done our utmost to 

straighten out the past. We are there to sweep off our 

side of the street, realizing that nothing worth while 

can be accomplished until we do so, never trying to 

tell him what he should do. His faults are not discussed. 

We stick to our own. If our manner is calm, frank, and 

open, we will be gratified with the result. 

BB 77-78  Into Action  Step Nine

Then we are ready to go to these people, to tell them what

A.A. is, and what we are trying to do. Against this 

background we can freely admit the damage we have done and

make our apologies. We can pay, or promise to pay, whatever 

obligations, financial or otherwise, we owe. The generous 

response of most people to such quiet sincerity will often 

astonish us. Even our severest and most justified

critics will frequently meet us more than halfway on the

first trial.

T&T  84-85  Step Nine