Back, in the day of old, when the government was less nosy as well as PEOPLE, in general, and there were fewer cameras and laws and such, anonymity was much easier to maintain. Now, these days, with everyone all up in everyone else's business (thanks to our government, our new snitch on each other policies -which is a WHOLE other thread I could ramble on about-, the media, cameras, the internet, and all that), it is not assured and there will be a person, in there, who is not working their program of recovery and respect someone else's right to anonymity.
Now, as a semi-professional racer (I was up and coming until I got hooked on drugs), I don't want all my racing buddies to know I am a recovering crack addict, but I also will not sweat it, if they found out. ALL of my VERY public profiles (Myspace, Facebook) mention addiction. However, had I already become a famous racer, you bet I'd be doing all I can to hide, from the public, my addiction. Not everyone needs to know. My friends and family, sure. But people JUDGE, often unjustifyable so. I'd hate to live in such a small town that everyone was giving me the nasty eye..
I can understand, kind of, both perspectives. You need to be able to trust that, everyone, in meetings, would be working a program of recovery and respect your anonymity. But there are many newcomers (most important persons, remember!) whom do not know and could ruin a professional career in an instant, and part of one's recovery might just be that career. It could be considered living a lie, but at the same time there are just instances, in this day in age, where it becomes a grey area because people have to constantly protect themselves. And, face it, no matter how much recovery you've got, there's gonna be one donkey's behind, out there, getting all high and mighty and judgemental when they find out you're an addict.
There can even be someone, there, that doesn't like you, and as soon as they see you pick up that chip, they get all high and mighty and not respect your anonymity. They may want your job position. Or plain just haven't learned to work the program.
I think it's respectable, to know the risks involved and make appropriate decisions. It's just one of those grey areas we're gonna have to deal with because, in today's world, more and more people are so super self-centered, they do things only for themselves without reguard to other's feelings. And it doesn't have anything to do with addiction, it's the person. *sighs*
IDK. I think the OP has made the decisions he's going to make and needs to make, according to his situation. And I am happy for him, but maybe the post about not picking up the chip in his hometown will give him something to think about. It may pertain to him, it may not..