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One year ago, the situation was entirely separate. Ahead of the American presidential vote, considerate Americans could recognize the nation's serious imperfections – its injustices and disparity – however they continued to see it as the US. A democracy. A place where the rule of law carried weight. A country led by a dignified and decent leader, notwithstanding his elderly years and increasing frailty.

Nowadays, this autumn, many of us hardly identify the nation we reside in. People suspected of being illegal immigrants are detained and pushed into vans, sometimes refused legal rights. The East Wing of the “people’s house” – is being torn down for a grotesque ballroom. The president is persecuting his adversaries or alleged foes and insisting legal authorities transfer an enormous amount of citizen dollars. Uniformed troops are being sent to US urban areas with deceptive justifications. The Pentagon, rebranded the War Department, has practically freed itself of routine media oversight while it uses possibly reaching almost one trillion dollars in public funds. Universities, attorney offices, media outlets are submitting due to presidential intimidation, and wealthy elites are handled as members of the royal family.

“The United States, just months before its 250-year mark as the world’s leading democracy, has fallen over the brink into authoritarianism and totalitarianism,” Garrett Graff, commented this past summer. “Finally, more quickly than I imagined possible, it transpired in this country.”

Every morning starts amid recent atrocities. It is challenging to understand – and agonizing to acknowledge – how deeply lost our nation is, and the speed at which it has happened.

Nevertheless, it is known that Trump was properly voted in. Even after his highly troubling previous administration and even after the warnings linked to the understanding of the rightwing blueprint – even after Trump himself said publicly he planned to rule as a tyrant just on day one – a majority of citizens chose him instead of his Democratic opponent.

As terrifying as the current reality may be, it's more daunting to understand that we’re only nine months into this administration. How will another 36 months of this deterioration find us? And suppose that period becomes a more extended duration, as there is no one to limit this president from opting that additional tenure is required, possibly for security concerns?

Admittedly, all is not lost. We will have midterm elections in 2026 that could establish an alternate balance of power, in case Democrats recapture one or both houses of parliament. There exist elected officials who are attempting to impose certain responsibility, such as lawmakers currently launching an investigation concerning the try to fund seizure by federal prosecutors.

And a presidential election three years from now could start the path to recovery exactly as last year’s election set us on this unfortunate course.

There are millions of Americans marching in urban areas across municipalities, like they performed recently during anti-authority protests.

An ex-cabinet member, wrote recently that “the dormant powerhouse of the US is awakening”, just as it did post-McCarthyism in the 1950s or during the Vietnam war protests or throughout the Nixon controversy.

On those occasions, the unstable nation finally returned to balance.

He claims he recognizes the signs of that resurgence and notices it unfolding now. For proof, he references the recent massive protests, the extensive, cross-party resistance against a broadcaster's firing and the near-unanimous defiance by media to agree to military mandates they solely cover what is sanctioned.

“The dormant force consistently stays dormant till specific greed turns extremely harmful, some action so offensive toward public welfare, some brutality so disruptive, that it is forced except to rise.”

It's a positive outlook, and I appreciate the author's seasoned opinion. Perhaps he will prove to be right.

At the same time, the major inquiries remain: can America regain its footing? Can it reclaim its standing internationally and its commitment to the rule of law?

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

My cynical mind suggests that the latter is accurate; that everything could be lost. My hopeful heart, though, convinces me that we have to attempt, in whatever ways available.

For me, as a media critic, that involves pushing media professionals to commit, more thoroughly, to their mission of overseeing leadership. For some people, it might involve working on congressional campaigns, or coordinating protests, or developing approaches to safeguard voting rights.

Less than a year ago, we existed in a very different place. In the future? Or after another term? The reality is, we are uncertain. The only option is to strive to persevere.

What Offers Me Encouragement Today

The engagement I experience with students with new media professionals, who are equally idealistic and practical, {always