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In late October 2024, the situation was completely different. Before the US presidential election, reflective Americans could admit America's deep flaws – its unfairness and inequality – but they could still identify it as the US. A democratic nation. A land where legal governance meant something. A nation headed by a dignified and ethical public servant, despite his older age and increasing frailty.

Currently, this autumn, numerous citizens barely recognize the nation we live in. Persons alleged as unauthorized foreigners are collected and pushed into vehicles, at times blocked from fair treatment. The eastern section of the “people’s house” – is undergoing demolition for an obscene dance hall. The president is persecuting his political rivals or perceived antagonists and requesting the justice department surrender a huge total of taxpayer money. Uniformed troops are deployed to US urban areas on false pretexts. The military command, rebranded the Defense Ministry, has effectively rid itself of routine media oversight during its expenditure of what could amount to close to a trillion USD in public funds. Universities, attorney offices, media outlets are yielding under the president’s threats, and wealthy elites are handled as aristocracy.

“America, only a few months ahead of its quarter-millennium anniversary as the planet's foremost free society, has tipped over the limit into authoritarianism and extremism,” Garrett Graff, stated this past summer. “Ultimately, more quickly than I thought feasible, it did happen here.”

One awakes amid recent atrocities. And it is hard to comprehend – and agonizing to acknowledge – how deeply lost we have become, and how quickly it has happened.

However, it is known that the leader was duly elected. Even after his profoundly alarming initial presidency and despite the warnings that came with the knowledge of the conservative plan – despite the president personally declared plainly he would rule as a tyrant solely at the start – enough Americans chose him rather than the other candidate.

While alarming as today's circumstances are, it’s even scarier to realize that we have only been three-quarters of a year under this leadership. How will an additional three years of this decline leave us? And what if that period transforms into an prolonged era, as there is not anyone to stop this leader from determining that a third term is essential, perhaps for national security reasons?

Certainly, all is not lost. There are congressional elections next year that could bring a different balance of power, if Democrats retake the Senate or House of the legislature. We have government representatives who are trying to impose certain responsibility, like representatives currently launching an investigation concerning the try to fund seizure from legal authorities.

And a national vote three years from now could begin our journey toward restoration just as last year’s election put us on this regrettable path.

There exist countless citizens marching in public spaces across municipalities, similar to recent last weekend in the No Kings rallies.

Robert Reich, commented this week that “the great sleeping giant of the US is stirring”, just as it did after the Communist witch-hunt era in that decade or throughout the sixties activism or during the Watergate scandal.

On those occasions, the unstable nation ultimately corrected itself.

Reich says he knows the signs of that revival and observes it occurring now. As evidence, he references the recent massive protests, the broad, bipartisan pushback regarding a television host's removal and the near-unanimous rejection by reporters to sign government requirements they solely cover what is sanctioned.

“The sleeping giant perpetually exists inactive till some venality becomes so noxious, an specific act so disrespectful toward public welfare, some brutality so disruptive, that the giant is compelled other than to stir.”

It’s an optimistic take, and I appreciate the author's seasoned opinion. Possibly he may prove to be right.

Meanwhile, the major inquiries remain: can America regain its footing? Can it reclaim its position internationally and its commitment to constitutional order?

Or should we recognize that the historical project succeeded temporarily, and then – swiftly, totally – ended?

My negative thoughts indicates that the latter is accurate; that all may indeed be gone. My optimistic spirit, though, convinces me that we have to attempt, by any means possible.

For me, as an observer of the press, that means pushing media professionals to commit, more thoroughly, to their duty of scrutinizing authority. For different individuals, it may be participating in congressional campaigns, or planning demonstrations, or discovering methods to safeguard voting rights.

Under twelve months back, we existed in a separate situation. Twelve months later? Or in several years? The reality is, we don’t know. Our sole course is to strive to not give up.

What Offers Me Encouragement Today

The engagement I experience in the classroom with aspiring reporters, that are simultaneously hopeful and practical, {always