Daily Reflections reading November 30th
Protection For All
At
the personal level, anonymity provides protection for all members from
identification as alcoholics, a safeguard often of special importance to newcomers.
At the level of press, radio, TV, and films, anonymity stresses the equality in
the Fellowship of all members by putting the brake on those who might otherwise
exploit their A.A. affiliation to achieve recognition, power, or personal gain.
“UNDERSTANDING ANONYMITY,” p. 5
Attraction
is the main force in the Fellowship of A.A. The miracle of continuous sobriety
of alcoholics within A.A. confirms this fact every day. It would be harmful if
the Fellowship promoted itself by publicizing, through the media of radio and
TV, the sobriety of well-known public personalities who became members of A.A.
If these personalities happened to have slips, outsiders would think our
movement is not strong and they might question the veracity of the miracle of
the century. Alcoholics Anonymous is not anonymous, but its members should be.
© Alcoholics Anonymous World Services
My
thoughts on November 30th Reading
In some groups anonymity is carried to
the point of real secrecy, some members don't even know each other's last names,
or where they live, this is not in keeping with the traditions, how are we to
ask them to help others if we don't know who they are
By being so anonymous that you can't be
reached by other drunks is tragic in my opinion, I have my name on a phone list
in my home group, so others can get in touch with me if needed, to do a twelfth
step call of go on a commitment for the group
Our public relations policy is based on
attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at
the level of press, radio, films, TV, today on the Internet, we still have to
place principles before personalities in our helping others
Within the group, members should know the
first name, last name, address and phone number of other members in the group,
If these are not known, we are not able to be of service to each other, or to
the group in time of troubles
I have tried to find someone in a
hospital without knowing their last name, here when I go on commitments in to
the prisons I have to tell them my full name and address, if I want to go
inside to carry the message to those imprisoned
This is not a break in my anonymity, but
it is necessary to give this information to officials of the prison, just in
case something happens to myself or they have a disturbance in the prison they
will know who needs to be taken out fast
Relations with the general public should
be by personal anonymity, all members should avoid sensational advertising, our
names and pictures, as members should not be broadcast, filmed or publicly
printed, to protect ourselves and the AA name
The principle of anonymity has a spiritual
significance reminding us to place principles before personalities, this is
practicing a genuine humility, one of our great blessings that we shall live in
contemplation of He who presides over us all
Our tradition on anonymity shows us
exactly what level the line should be drawn, to maintain anonymity at any other
level is definitely not holding with the tradition, a member who hides there
identity from there group or fellow members by using only a given name, is not
true to traditions
When trust is gone, resentments come out
and take over, all the other principles are out the window I should never take
any action that would endanger another member's sobriety, because in so doing I
endanger my own
Included hitting on members of the
opposite sex, especially newcomers, probably more members lose their sobriety
for this single reason, than all others combined, as a result of the
resentments and gossip that rear their ugly heads
God bless you Al M
Please feel free to mail
suggestions or comments
