Early morning checking of the news (via Twitter) brings word that the owners of the square being occupied in NY (how does someone/a business own a square in NYC?) have asked the city not to clear the demonstrators. And so an impending confrontation seems averted for the moment.

But a larger question: What is Occupy Wall Street really?

Is it just a bunch of middle and upper middle class folks out protesting?

And is it even clear what they are protesting?

And how long will it last?

Is it an attempt to counter the rise, attention, and influence of the Tea Party?

Or does it have a good deal in common with what gave rise to the Tea Party? (see Larry Lessig’s article below).

Is it possible for a leaderless movement to have an impact in this country?

How come the media first ignored it, then misrepresented it, and now is finally beginning to cover it?

Is it truly spreading beyond NY and beyond a few major US cities?

Is there any similarity between OWS and the demonstrations that have been taking place in the Middle East over the past year?

So many questions.

Let me be clear: I don’t have the answer to any of them.

But I have been following the events and bring you two articles to read and consider.

The first is a somewhat broad, think piece that for me seems to capture and begin to answer some of my questions.

The second is an attempt, I think, to draw similarities between OWS and the TP and perhaps to encourage OWS folks not to see the Tea Party as an opposition (as some of the media would like us to believe) but as an ally in some areas.

The articles are relatively short and will not take you long to read.

1.The Fight for ‘Real Democracy’ at the Heart of Occupy Wall Street, by Michael Summary & Antonio Negri, Foreign Affairs, Oct. 11, 2011.   Click Here

2.OccupyWallSt v2: What Cross-Partisanship Must Mean by Larry Lessig, Huffington Post, Oct. 7, 2011.    Click Here

Comments are always welcome.

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