Who’s in charge? What are the protesters’ demands? How big is the movement? How can I get involved? Answers to these and other basic questions about the ongoing occupation of Wall Street are offered by The Nation magazine’s Nathan Schneider.

Peter Rothberg, also with The Nation, gives a succinct list of practical and direct ways to support the protest, beginning with: “Get to Liberty Plaza to join those that Occupy Wall St. if you can.” Other suggestions include ways to donate money and supplies and spread the word. –ARK

The Nation:

Some news reports have been painting the protesters as unfocused, or worse, as hopelessly confused and uninformed. Is there any truth to that?

Sure. In a world as complex as ours, we’re all uninformed about most things, even if we know about a few. I remember a police officer remarking of the protesters on the first or second day, “They think they know everything!” That’s how young people generally are. But in this case, noticing the over-concentration of wealth around Wall Street and its outsized influence in politics does not require a detailed grasp of what a hedge fund does or the current selling price of Apple stock. One thing that distinguishes these protesters is precisely their hope that a better world is possible. I might add that, for many Americans, such nonviolent direct action is the only chance of having a political voice, and it deserves to be taken seriously by those of us in the press.

Read more

Rock Solid Journalism

In 2026, amid chaos and the nonstop flurry of headlines, Truthdig remains independent, fact-based and focused on exposing what power tries to hide.

Support Independent Journalism.

SUPPORT TRUTHDIG