Anyone who learns the truth about the Bush administration – whether it is in the context of the war in Iraq, the dismantling of our civil liberties, or anything else on the endless list of injustices and incompetence – should be overwhelmed by outrage. It is largely because of the outrage that the alternative and independent media helped produce that, on November 7^th, the American voters united to take back their government and reject the pattern of lies, abuses, and assaults on democracy that have been the hallmark of the last six years.

But the problem is, we’re still angry. Elections are part of a continuous democratic process; they are not catharses that cleanse our national conscience, allowing us to idly wait for the anger to build up in time for 2008. The alternative and independent media, and the Left in general, have succeeded in inciting outrage where there should be outrage – now, we must incite hope and true progressive change.

Political and moral outrage cannot sustain itself and effect change unless it is properly channeled and fused with collaboration, activism, and a plan for progress. Too often, the young outraged political commentator becomes the jaded pessimist, slowly beaten down under the weight of his or her own condemnations. As a college student, I have witnessed the anticlimactic disappointment of unfocused outrage, of angry protest without a real plan to make the world better. I helped to create Incite Magazine (www.incitemagazine.org) because I want to see outrage over the status quo channeled into the energy needed to get involved and fight for specific change.

By linking outrage with information on social action events like demonstrations and boycotts, educational opportunities like films and teach-ins, contact information so readers can voice their complaints and demand change, Incite Magazine take opinions and discussions and turns them into pragmatic calls for a better world. Models like this are necessary because every time someone reads a piece that elicits fury over injustice without a guide for concrete action, an opportunity for actual change is missed.

Movements need more than outrage to galvanize. They need organization, resources, and unity. They need people who are encouraged to take action and presented with the tools to do so. Now that the means of producing media are in our hands, it is imperative that we collaborate to build an audience and organize to build a movement. Once the people of America found out the truth, they fired dozens of their elected leaders and demanded better of the government. The truth must continue to be told and anyone with the means and ability to do so has the obligation to. But once the truth is told, people need to know what they can do about it. Because once the people find out, we will realize the power we truly have and will demand progress with a voice too loud, organized, and outraged to ever be ignored.

For more of Sussman’s work, visit www.InciteMagazine.org and www.ACrowdedFire.com. He can be contacted at Aaron@InciteMagazine.org.

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