Alcoholics Anonymous thanks media for fellowship anonymity
To the editor:
From time to time, we write our public media friends to thank them for helping us observe our long-standing tradition of anonymity for members of Alcoholics Anonymous.
First, let us express our deep gratitude to you. From the beginning of AA in 1935, its members have recognized that word-of-mouth is not sufficient by itself to carry the program’s message of hope and recovery to the many people still suffering from alcoholism. The public media has been a vital part of this effort, and today we estimate that there are more than 2 million successfully recovering members of Alcoholics Anonymous in more than 180 countries.
Second, we respectfully request that you continue to cooperate with us in maintaining the anonymity of AA members. The principle of anonymity is a basic tent of our fellowship. Those who are reluctant to seek our help may overcome their fear if they are confident that their anonymity will be respected. In addition, and perhaps less understood, our tradition of anonymity acts as a restraint on individual AA members, reminding us that we are a program of principles, not personalities, and that no individual AA member may presume to act as a spokesperson or leader of our fellowship.
Again, we thank you for your continued cooperation. Those who wish to know more about our fellowship are welcome to visit “For the Media” section of www.aa.org. Our fellowship does not comment on matters of public controversy, but we are happy to provide information about AA to anyone who seeks it.
Alcoholics Anonymous