YoHoHo

Principle:  A fundamental truth, law, doctrine or motivating force, upon which others are based.

The topic today centered around a phrase found in one of our Traditions: "Principles before personalities."  Whenever I start to talk about someone who isn't actually present with my sponsor - a really nice way of trying to dress up gossip, a particularly ugly defect - he interrupts me firmly: "Principles before personalities, Seaweed.  Principles before personalities."  

I was sober about 10 years before I finally asked: "What the hell does that mean anyhow?"

Not one to do my work for me my sponsor suggested that I look it up and then get back to him.

It means don't talk about someone behind their back unless you are completely, absolutely certain they would approve.  The principle is anonymity.  This is more important than the personality.  The anonymity protects the member who may not want details of his debauchs, imprisonments, and affairs spread among the general public which may include members of his church, his co-workers, his family.  And the anonymity protects the Fellowship itself from the indiscretions of your average vain, loud-mouthing, relapsing drunk.  

Nobody is in charge in here.