Anonymity

Comment

Comment by Amy(Wallace)C on October 6, 2010 at 7:22pm

Good point Robert. When we break our anonymity we do become ambassadors for AA, whether or not we want to. I don't want AA to get blamed for my bad behavior.

Comment by Virgil on October 5, 2010 at 12:58pm

Some great comments and points of view.
Keep up the work and we all can learn.
One other area we can glean insite from is the Grape Vine.
May we all carry the message in humbleness and love.
Virgil

Comment by Robert H on October 5, 2010 at 11:57am

“ I believe the anonymity is up to the individual to put it out there or not,”

Anonymity is up to the individual but not where or when to break it. It is up to him/her to embrace and uphold our traditions. I really like what Wallace stated but that’s only the half of it. It is also to protect the fellowship as a whole. We don’t seek publicity, neither good nor bad.
Proclaiming one affiliation with AA in a public matter does that. Not only if they start drinking but if the start using their sobriety for person gain. In the age of the internet not much escapes when someone what to show someone of something in a bad light
And one more thing on anonymity, do you really think people who have the AA type bummer sticker on their cars are a shining example of AA when they are driving down the road cutting people off and flipping them off.
“I am responsible when anyone anywhere reaches out for help, I want the hand of AA always to be there and for that I am responsible”
The is the responsible pledge of AA and Anonymity insures that.

Comment by Amy(Wallace)C on October 4, 2010 at 5:49pm

Personally Virgil, I would suggest the pamphlets "Understanding Anonymity"; "The AA Group...where it all began"; "The 12 Traditions-Illustrated"; and "AA Tradition-How it Developed". Those pamphlets do a wonderful job explaining the purpose/meaning of Anonymity.

Comment by Old george on October 4, 2010 at 6:11am

Ditto what Wallace said.

On a personal note: When i was drinking i was the most "un-anonymous" person alive...name in the newspaper etc...and I'm pretty sure my neighbors knew who was parking my truck in their yard at 3am.

Comment by Virgil on October 2, 2010 at 10:58pm

Anonymity is a very important part of our recovery, as it imparts trust, humbleness, integrity, and it binds us together.
Without it, we will sease to be a fellowship working for our common wellbeing.
If I can not trust the fellowship in my recovery, then whom can I trust?

I would suggest we read the chapters on tradition 12 both in the 12x12 of Alcoholics Anonymous and the paragraphs in the Narcotics Anonymous Book.
The more I read from these and other AA literature on anonymity the more I see just how much I have to learn on the subject.

"The spiritual substance of anonymity is sacrifice." (Pg. 184, Twelve Steps And Twelve Traditions, Alcoholics Anonymous, World Services, Inc. 2004 printing.)

May we all find our peace within our fellowship.
Virgil

Comment by Richard S. on October 2, 2010 at 1:36pm

I personally don't have any facebook or twitter page so what I put on this site stays here. I believe the anonymity is up to the individual to put it out there or not, but we should not break other peoples anonymity with out there permission. Even with there permission we should leave up to them to tell other's about there being in a anonymous 12 step program in there own way. Like I always heard I can say I was at the meeting or on this site but I can't say you were at the meeting or on this site. So as long as the people that go on to facebook, etc. only put them selves on and no one else I would say it is ok.

Comment by kismet on October 1, 2010 at 3:42am

I am not sure what you mean? Could you explain?

Comment by Amy(Wallace)C on September 30, 2010 at 5:48pm

Sigh...anonymity. In my opinion this is the most misunderstood/misinterpreted Tradition going. As far as Anonymity Break?? This is not an AA meeting.
Anonymity, yes privacy is an element of the Tradition. However the crux of the Tradition is to keep us from being "AA showoffs" AND it levels the playing field. When we walk into a meeting, we are alcoholics. Our social status, marital status, financia status, employment staus, sexual orientation, gender, ect. do NOT matter. The Anonymity tradition tells us we are on equal playing ground because it is about the principles of recovery, not our status.