"There is no passion so much transports the sincerity of judgment as does anger." (Montaigne)

Never let it be said anger doesn't have a constructive side. The past six months have witnessed a vast number of people taking the opportunity to be part of something far bigger than themselves. By jumping on the SAVE JERICHO bandwagon, we not only saved a television show, but stood up for what we believed. We spoke up and let CBS know in we were tired of being force fed inane reality shows and cloned crime dramas. We put our feet down and held our ground for quality television programmng. Judging from some articles, the ferocity with which we fought surprised not only the network executives; it forced many in the media and entertainment business to stop, look, listen -- and think.

Fan protests are nothing new, nor is it unusual for fans to be angry when a network cancels a favorite show. As it's been pointed out numerous times, STAR TREK fans successfully campaigned to bring the show back for a 3rd season. More recently, fans staged similar protests for ROSWELL and VERONICA MARS. Not all efforts see as much success as JERICHO fans did, but each and every person involved in these protests have one thing in common -- they're angry. Anger united JERICHO fans, and anger made us raise our voices in protest. We were angry at not being counted by networks because we watched online, or by some other means. We were angry at being totally ignored by advertisers because we fall outside that all-important age demographic.

Yet, this anger manifested in positive ways. In thousands of polite, respectful emails, letters and phone calls which clearly stated our dismay at the cancellation. In the amazingly rapid growth of JERICHO's fan-base, and in the fierce loyalty we showed toward the cast and crew. It showed through a single-mindedness the world has very seldom seen, and in our refusal to back down despite the odds against us. Each fan focused that anger in a positive direction. There was unity, and there was fervor. It was time to be heard, and we made ourselves heard. Anger made us strong, and our love for JERICHO made us a unified team.

Anger is both a strength, and a painful weakness. Just as there is a positive side to anger, there is also a negative -- and the negative is twice as strong. Should the negative side of anger invade our dedicated, focused group, it will destroy us from within. It robs us of unity, and wreaks havoc amongst those who only days before stood shoulder-to-shoulder as comrades. It makes us suspect one another, and believe vile gossip and rumor without question. This is anger born not of our righteous indignation, but of our petty jealousy and mistrust. This anger is an insidious poison which worms its way into the hearts of good people, sowing seeds of discord, dissent and doubt. It erodes our solidarity and destroys it slowly, steadily and without fail.

It's very important we remember the early days of our campaign. We must never forget how it felt to log onto message boards and forums, to see familiar names and know we were not alone in our fight. We should always remember how it feels to be part of something much larger than ourselves, and how great it feels to be a family. We didn't stop to question what needed to be done, or how to do it, we just did it. Sadly, and despite efforts to the contrary, at the very moment of our triumph, the negative side of anger manifested. Resentment, frustration and suspicion filtered into our group. Suddenly, personal agendas and personal feelings became more important than our common goal, and this paved the way for negativity.

So now we must set aside these feelings and once more step forward into the future with one goal. We must again focus our anger in a positive direction, and rid ourselves of all the negative connotations. Let us become the strong, unified group we were six months ago, moving in the same direction, focused on achieving the same goal. The network has listened, and they've given us a unique opportunity. If we are to take advantage of this opportunity, then we must work together as one mind, one heart and one voice. We cannot allow the negative side of our anger to ruin what we have already accomplished. We've come too far, and overcome too much, to fall prey to the pitfalls of negative, destructive anger. Right now, we need to use our anger in a positive way, and focus it on the future.

"I never work better than when I am inspired by anger; for when I am angry, I can write, pray and preach well, for then my whole temperament is quickened, my understanding sharpened, and all mundane vexation and temptation depart." (Martin Luther)