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November 11, 2004
Clarity
I attend, and have my roots in recovery in one particular 12-step fellowship, although I participate in meetings of other fellowships as well. In my area, a number of meetings contains some version of the following “Clarity” statement in their meetings:
We are faced with the dilemma when addicts identify themselves as addicts and alcoholics, or talk about living clean and sober. The clarity of the message is blurred. This implies there are two diseases, that one drug is separate from another, requiring special recognition. We believe that there is no difference between drugs, thus, when we speak about being clean we can emphasize the similarities and not the differences.
At first glance this seems reasonable to any person who regularly attends this one fellowship. That when people speak of being sober and their sobriety, they are referring to alcohol. This may have been true when the original statement of this fellowship was written in November 1985.
However, the English language continues to change, in the world of Nancy Reagan's “Just Say No” to drugs, alcohol abuse was far more acceptable while drug abuse was far less acceptable than today. Now, however, as prescription drug addiction is skyrocketing, especially since the release of Oxycontin® in 1996, a semi-synthetic opium derivative, drug addiction is much more out-of-the-closet among otherwise successful people. Even abusers of illegal drugs are more honest about their problems. Celebrities from Robert Downey Jr. to Rush Limbaugh are coming clean, and the word of choice to describe it is, more often than not, “sober.”
I attended my home group meeting last night, a meeting of the fellowship that strengthened my foundation, one that belongs to the fellowship that came up with the above-referenced Clarity statement but doesn't use it in its meetings. One of our newer members is a man who, as far as I know, rarely or never attends any other fellowship. He used the word “sober” to describe his experience, but there was no question about what he meant. Among the members attending this meeting, there were several “die-hard” fellowship advocates, and I had to prevent myself from looking to see if any of them grimaced at the word use.
In the last few years, as I become healthier, I find I am able to use greater resources. I once held to the “clean-only” philosophy, but have of late become acceptant that other people may use different words to describe the same thing. I also believe that this statement is alienating in its own context, and have heard from people who ordinarily go to other fellowships feel less welcome in the ones where such “clarity statements” are quoted.
The time for this “clarity statement” is long past; for they digress from our 5th Tradition, which states that “The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using,” and they have no support from any of the other traditions.
Posted by Bastique at November 11, 2004 10:19 AM
Comments
HERE HERE, as the British say. I am in complete and total agreement with you on the subject of the clarity statement. It reeks of elitism and seperatism and yet claims its very purpose to be all-encompassing. Although 'The Program' gets it right 98% of the time, I have had to take great exception to several similar stances and ideologies which are claimed inviolable by the rank and file hard-liners. In ALL instances, any public vocalization of dissension with ANY of the 'carved in stone' precepts is enough to bring into question ones loyalty and quality of recovery. Any private (with ones sponsor) dissension or disagreement with the status quo, and one is accused of having 'reservations' and likely to relapse into the abyss. Finally, I have come to my own terms and peace with 'The Program.' I believed once that it was infallible (like the Pope). That it had all the answers. But sadly, I have learned, that nothing, not even the 'The Program' I love so dearly, is absolutely 100% correct 100% of the time. It, like the THE BIBLE, has been written by Man, and Man makes occassional errors even when listening to the voice of God. I addressed in several scenes in "In Loving Service, Alice" the absurdity of the battle of words between 'The Fellowships.' Too few were listening - they were so busy putting on their makeup.
Thanks for bringing this issue to the fore. It's a passionate one for me as you can tell.
Trooper
Posted by: trooper at October 1, 2005 9:01 PM