Concept Five
The rights of appeal and petition protect minorities and insure that they be heard.
Please share your experience, strength, and hope as it relates to Concept 5. The opinions expressed here are strictly those of the person who gave them. Take what you liked and leave the rest. Member sharing on the Member Blog may be used in future Al‑Anon publications.
Concept Five, as it applies to the groups, is pretty clear. It becomes a little more difficult when I am trying to apply it in my life. When I finally looked at this Concept, as it could apply in my life, it brought me to the consideration that should be given to others. At the beginning, I was hoping that the right of appeal and petition wouldn’t not have to be applied with people around me. Letting the minorities express themselves was not my forte. This was very difficult for me to stop talking and let others express themselves. This… Read more »
I have a hard time knowing if I have a place to speak or not in many situations and I am trying to be brave and use my voice more often. I do appreciate this concept, as it tells me that in Al-Anon my voice always has a place to be heard. Things are changing a lot in my home meeting following the Covid restrictions being lifted as we reorganize to a hybrid meeting. Unfortunately in my home business meeting I often times feel that when I raise a question that the facilitator of the meeting calls time and ends… Read more »
This concept helps me to remember that I too have a voice and a right to use it. Before joining the program of Al-Anon, I could never speak unless I was pushed to anger. Growing up I was punished for showing anger. In my adult years I was called crazy. The program has taught me how to think before I speak. It’s a blessing to know that I have the right to be heard and that I don’t have to wait until I’m about to explode to say what I want to say and I have learned that sometimes it’s… Read more »
Concept Five was a great teacher for me. With this Concept I became aware and learned that others had valuable opinions and I also learned to «Listen and Learn» and «Keep an Open Mind». Those notions were somewhat unknown to me or, at least, I ignored them much too often and for much too long in my life. I was a very poor listener and was very opinionated. The notion of rights to appeal and petition is right with me today. From hearing others, I learned many interesting, valuable and important notions and opinions. On top of learning to be… Read more »
Concept Five continues to grow in importance as more ideas are expressed in CAL and in meetings. I was more than willing to express my opinions and I loved listening to other opinions expressed easily and openly. However, I noticed that others often just said nothing or quietly walked away. I saw Concept Five at work in an area assembly election early in my program. Despite people saying they weren’t going to stand for an office, the chair asked each person eligible for an office one by one if they were willing to stand for each position. Most said NO,… Read more »
When I first found Al-Anon, my voice at home was either a whisper or an angry, loud outburst. I didn’t know there was such a thing as a minority opinion. It was my way or the highway! Tradition Five has helped me learn that we are equals in our fellowship. All voices and opinions are respected. It has also taught me to trust the process of the group conscience and to be patient. I don’t know where I would have learned that anywhere else. My at home voice is now one of respect, tolerance, acceptance, and understanding. Thank you Al-Anon!
Concept Five is near and dear to my heart and soul of my recovery. It is about finding my voice. As a child, I was told “children should be seen and not heard.” Not knowing it at the time, this had a profound impact on my life. I was a quiet and shy child and I brought that quietness and shyness into my adult life. I developed coping and survival skills that I thought would and could protect me. Keeping quiet was like my “force field,” keeping out all of the unwanted “noise” but it also kept me in my… Read more »
Concept Five is my favorite, because it is the one I had the hardest time to work in my life. Today, I strongly believe in its value. I trust the benefits and results of an informed group conscience, which ties in with this Concept. I also believe that all opinions must be heard, this being the right and privilege of each one of us. This Concept inspires me to be humble, respectful, honest, open-minded, patient and tolerant, when I am expressing myself and when I am listening to others. This Concept didn’t come easily for me. I was raised in… Read more »