Magazine

November 2012: Why I Use My Last Name

A teacher shares a few things he’s learned about anonymity

TRADITION ELEVEN: Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.

My first anonymity crisis in AA occurred when I looked out at an open meeting at which I was about to speak, and there sat one of my students—with his family. I was petrified. The fear that had for so long kept me from coming to AA, gripped me: The fear that if my alcoholism were known, I would lose my teaching job.

I quickly prayed that God would intervene with an earthquake or anything that... Login to read more
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