Oh my! First let me say that I respect your opinion, I am not arguing with you, I just have a very different perspective and would like to share it.
I am a nerdy social worker so I think that whenever people take positive steps to change their lives for the better, it is worthy of acknowledgement.
As a RA/COD, I know how much it has improved my life that others acknowledged my positive steps when I was having rough times, it helped me hang in there and moved forward.
I think comparative thinking is not always helpful. Does a mother of someone with full blown AIDS deserve less compassion from me than a first time mom who is freaking out because her baby spiked a fever for the first time? I find that a "rule of severity" often is illogical when talking about the human condition.
I also think that recovery is a brave thing because of the disease model. I know plenty of people who can "successfully" drink-they don't overindulge, it does not negatively affect their life in any way. It is hard for alcoholics to come to terms that they are not built that way, and they have the extra burden of placing their energy into recovery, for me that IS going above and beyond. Plenty of people are in active addiction who are not working to make their lives and the lives of those around them better. Embracing recovery is an active, labor intensive choice and I believe it deserves positive responses. You mentioned those "who have done so much damage to thier families and have raised children in fear and hate" and they are now in recovery to make amends for that. They aren't just sitting around continuing the cycle of abuse, they are working to change it. I think it is very brave!
Thanks for letting me share. xoxo