🔗 Share this article

One year ago, the landscape was entirely separate. Ahead of the American presidential vote, thoughtful Americans could acknowledge the nation's deep flaws – its unfairness and inequality – yet they still could perceive it as the US. A democratic nation. A land where legal governance meant something. A nation headed by a respectable and upright public servant, notwithstanding his older age and growing weakness.

Currently, this autumn, many of us hardly identify the nation we live in. Individuals believed to be illegal immigrants are collected and shoved into transport, sometimes refused legal rights. The eastern section of the “people’s house” – is being destroyed for an obscene event space. Donald Trump is targeting his adversaries or supposed enemies and demanding the justice department surrender an enormous amount of citizen dollars. Soldiers with weapons are being sent into American cities under fabricated reasons. The military command, renamed the Defense Ministry, has – in effect – rid itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny as it spends possibly reaching almost one trillion dollars of taxpayer money. Universities, law firms, media outlets are buckling from leader's menaces, and billionaires are handled as members of the royal family.

“The US, just months before its 250-year mark as the planet's foremost free society, has tipped over the limit into autocracy and fascism,” Garrett Graff, commented this past summer. “Finally, swifter than I imagined possible, it did happen in America.”

Each day begins to new horrors. And it is challenging to understand – and painful to realize – how severely declined our nation is, and the rapid pace with which it occurred.

Yet, it is known that Trump was legitimately chosen. Despite his highly troubling first term and even after the warnings linked to the awareness of Project 2025 – despite the leader directly said publicly he would rule as a tyrant only on the first day – sufficient voters elected him rather than the other candidate.

While alarming as today's circumstances may be, it's more daunting to recognize that we are just nine months under this leadership. Where will another 36 months of this decline find us? And if that timeframe turns into a more extended duration, because there is no one to limit this leader from determining that a third term is required, possibly for national security reasons?

Granted, all is not lost. There are midterm elections the coming year that could establish an alternate governmental control, should Democrats recapture either chamber of the legislature. There exist government representatives who are striving to apply a degree of oversight, such as representatives who are launching an investigation into the attempted fund seizure by federal prosecutors.

And a presidential election three years from now could start our journey to healing just as the prior selection set us on this unfortunate course.

There are countless citizens protesting in the streets across municipalities, like they performed last weekend at democracy demonstrations.

An ex-cabinet member, commented this week that “the slumbering force of America is awakening”, similar to past after the Communist witch-hunt era during the fifties or during the sixties activism or in the seventies crisis.

During those times, the tilting vessel eventually was righted.

The author states he understands the indicators of that awakening and notices it unfolding at present. As evidence, he references the large-scale demonstrations, the widespread, multi-faction opposition regarding a television host's removal and the near-unanimous refusal by journalists to sign the defense department’s demands they report only approved content.

“The dormant force consistently stays asleep before certain corruption grows too toxic, some action so disrespectful of the common good, certain violence so disruptive, that it is forced except to rise.”

It's a hopeful perspective, and I appreciate his knowledgeable stance. Possibly he may prove to be right.

At the same time, the crucial issues persist: is the US able to return to normalcy? Can it retrieve its position internationally and its adherence to constitutional order?

Or do we need to admit that the national endeavor worked for a while, and then – suddenly, utterly – failed?

My pessimistic brain indicates that the second option is accurate; that everything might be gone. My optimistic spirit, though, advises me that we have to attempt, in whatever ways available.

In my case, working in journalism analysis, that’s about encouraging reporters to live up, more thoroughly, to their mission of overseeing leadership. For others, it may be participating in election efforts, or planning demonstrations, or developing approaches to defend voting rights.

Not even one year prior, we were in an alternate reality. A year from now? Or after another term? The fact is, we don’t know. Our sole course is to attempt to not give up.

What’s Giving Me Hope Now

The engagement I experience during teaching with young journalists, who are both hopeful and realistic, {always