Monday, September 28, 2009

Someone's Taken my Blog!

Today, I had about 30 seconds to check my blog, and I checked the site meter for some reason. I found that someone got to my blog in a strange manner, so I checked it out. It seems a website advertising treatment centers has posted my entire blog - not a link, my BLOG is there on their page! - under a page entitled "sober living." The main purpose of the page is to sell beds in facilities for people who are desperate to live sober and are willing to write a check in an effort to do so.

I got on the phone immediately to the number listed and talked to someone who referred me to someone else. I left a message for that someone else. I told him that he did not have my permission to use my blog and that I insist that he remove it immediately. It is not removed.

Why so upset? Because I think my blog being on that page suggests that I endorse whatever they are selling. I do not endorse anything anyone is selling. Not here on my blog.

Here on my blog, I am simply a sober member of Alcoholics Anonymous talking about what that is like on a daily basis. Sharing what it looks like to stay sober, one day at a time, for two and a half decades. Sometimes it is pretty, sometimes it is not. All in all, it is pretty darn splendid.

The long form of the 10th tradition states: "No AA group or member should ever, in such a way as to implicate AA, express any opinion on outside controversial issues - particularly those of politics, alcohol reform, or sectarian religion. The Alcoholics Anonymous groups oppose no one. Concerning such matters they can express no views whatever."

So I guess since I am here as a member of AA, I won't tell you just what I think of all these treatment centers and what they have done to AA. But I can tell you that I certainly do not endorse any of them. I never would.

If you are reading this on the website of an advertisement for treatment centers, please know that this has been taken without my permission.

And maybe you could just try an AA meeting, they really do work.

One of my greatest blessings was that I did not have insurance when I got sober. I got to sit and shake it out at home. I got to rely on the help of AA members. I got to learn how to ask for help from people who were not going to send me a bill at the end of the month... and that is very very wonderful, and very very humbling.

And 25 years later I am still sober, and have never had a drink since the day I first called AA for help.

13 comments:

garden-variety drunk said...

yikes! hope the invaders are expelled. or even better, maybe the people visiting that site for help will get some with your blog. :)

Unknown said...

That's scary. I find I can hardly keep up with fake "followers" on twitter and other networking sites - the accounts that are just set up to post an advertising link. It's very annoying what these people do.

Anonymous :) said...

I hope you find a way to get your words off their site. That's outrageous!

Pammie said...

I've googled my blog name before and found lots of sights that list sober blogers. About.com/Wellsphere/US Recovery, just to name a few. Most of these sights are info only though and not selling anything. Well no, I guess they have adverstisers too.
I agree though I would not want to "endorse" a facility.

Scott M. Frey said...

well, at least someone is hopefully reading one of the finest examples of a Big Book they might find today :-) While it's not right for them to have taken your blog and posted it on their site, at least there's a chance of someone being exposed to good soild AA now :-)

dAAve said...

here, here!

You've taken the action and done the right thing. Let's see what happens.

Ed G. said...

Wow.

Thanx for acting responsibly.

Blessings and aloha...

Mary Christine said...

Just to clarify. It is not a link. It is my entire blog... sitting out there on someone else's website. I will call them again today. Because it is still there - with this post.

Scott W said...

I have been asked to link to various entities. If they are on the Internet for any profitable situation then I do not link.

Let us know how it goes.

And from a selfish standpoint, was I listed?

The Maven said...

Oh, that's not cool. The internet is filled with plagiarism, unfortunately. Someone stole my blog once,too. Well, the name of it and my tagline. They then followed it up with some of their own writers. Poor writings.

Hang on... Did I say that out loud? I think I might still have a resentment about it. Time to do some reading! Hope you get everything sorted out. Your blog is one-of-a-kind, and I always find inspiration here. Keep coming back :)

Syd said...

The internet is still pretty much the Wild West in many ways with hijacking going on. Hopefully, the message that you sent and the calls will reach someone who will do the right and legal thing to remove your blog from their site.

dAAve said...

hehehahaLOL @ Scott W.

James D. said...

thanks, that was very inspirational