freya

There is a passage in the big Al Anon pamphlet on the Steps and Traditions that lays out the process for dealing with these kinds of problems. There might also be info in the service manual. As I remember it, it goes like this:

1. Bring up the issues (in this case "anonymity") as a meeting topic. Begin by reading some passages from the literature relative to the topic and then open it up for sharing. The idea of this first "approach" is that, hopefully, the offending member(s) will realize that their behavior is inappropriate and cease and desist without any further difficulty or possible upset..

2. Call a group conscience. Discuss the issue. Agree upon a group policy on the issue to be read at the beginning of the meeting.

3. If the behavior persists, another group conscience to decide on what needs to be said to the offending member(s) and who's going to say it.

4. If the offending member(s) refuse to comply, then they can be asked to leave the group.

Sometimes it is helpful between #1 and #2 (or before #4) for the group conscience to decide to schedule a formal group inventory. (There are several checklists for group inventories floating around.) If the group decides to do this, it needs to be scheduled and (probably for at least 2 weeks) announced in advance, so that everyone knows what's going on and knows that one or 2 meetings are going to be set aside for this purpose and people can get their thoughts together and be prepared to participate.

Also, the group will probably want to invite someone from outside the group -- maybe even someone from the District or Region -- to facilitate, because you need someone without an emotional stake in the group. I've done this for a couple of groups and also been in groups that have decided to do it, and it is really a great and helpful process......and a very healthy thing for groups to do every couple of years in general. Obviously, it can be difficult and feelings can get triggered, but if a group sincerely commits to doing this and to doing so in accordance with the 12 Traditions, it can be a wonderful opportunity to experience the power of the Traditions at work in a very concrete way.

Bottom line to all of this is: a group has the right (and the responsibility) to take care of itself and defend itself against members who refuse to honor the Traditions....but it is important to do so in the least hurtful way possible and to give such members the opportunity to "save face" and the time to reform their behavior and also for the group to look carefully at what part, if any, its own behavior/attitudes (say, perhaps, insufficient attention to or knowledge of the Traditions in general???) might be playing in the situation.

Good luck with this -- freya