Anonymity

Thought for Today
We simply couldn't afford to take the chance of letting self-appointed members present themselves as messiahs representing A.A. before the whole public. The promoter instinct in us might be our undoing. If even one publicly got drunk, or was lured into using A.A.'s name for his own purposes, the damage might be irreparable. At this altitude (press, radio, films, and television), anonymity--100 percent anonymity--was the only possible answer. Here, principles would have to come before personalities, without exception.
-- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, page 187