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Twelve months back, the landscape was utterly different. Before the American presidential vote, considerate citizens could admit America's serious imperfections – its inequities and disparity – yet they could still identify it as the US. A democratic nation. A land where constitutional order carried weight. A nation guided by a honorable and decent leader, notwithstanding his advanced age and declining health.

Currently, this autumn, countless Americans scarcely know the nation we inhabit. Individuals alleged as unauthorized foreigners are detained and forced into vehicles, sometimes blocked from fair treatment. The eastern section of the White House – is being torn down for an obscene dance hall. Donald Trump is persecuting his political rivals or supposed enemies and demanding legal authorities hand over a massive sum of taxpayer money. Uniformed troops are dispatched into American cities with deceptive justifications. The Pentagon, relabeled the War Department, has – in effect – liberated itself of routine media oversight as it spends what could amount to close to a trillion USD in public funds. Universities, legal practices, news companies are buckling due to presidential intimidation, and billionaires are treated like members of the royal family.

“The US, shortly prior to its 250-year mark as the globe's top democratic nation, has fallen over the edge into authoritarianism and fascism,” a noted author, stated in August. “Ultimately, faster than I thought feasible, it transpired in America.”

Each day begins with fresh terrors. And it's difficult to grasp – and agonizing to acknowledge – how deeply lost our nation is, and how quickly it occurred.

However, we know that the leader was legitimately chosen. Following his highly troubling previous administration and despite the alerts that came with the awareness of Project 2025 – following Trump himself declared plainly he planned to act as an autocrat only on the first day – sufficient voters selected him over his Democratic opponent.

As terrifying as the present situation is, it's more frightening to realize that we have only been nine months under this leadership. What will another 36 months of this downfall leave us? And if that period turns into a more extended duration, since there is nobody to restrain this ruler from determining that additional tenure is required, possibly for national security reasons?

Granted, all is not lost. There will be legislative votes next year that may establish an alternate governmental control, if Democrats regain either chamber of the legislature. There exist public servants who are trying to apply some accountability, for example Democratic congressmen that are initiating an inquiry into the attempted fund seizure from legal authorities.

And a national vote in the next cycle could start the path toward restoration just as the previous vote set us on this unfortunate course.

We see countless citizens demonstrating in public spaces of their cities, as they did in the past days at democracy demonstrations.

An ex-cabinet member, stated lately that “the great sleeping giant of the US is stirring”, exactly as before after the Communist witch-hunt era in the 1950s or throughout anti-war demonstrations or in the Nixon controversy.

On those occasions, the tilting vessel ultimately corrected itself.

The author states he knows the signals of that revival and observes it occurring currently. As support, he cites the recent massive protests, the extensive, bipartisan pushback against a broadcaster's firing and the almost universal rejection by reporters to accept the defense department’s demands they solely cover what is sanctioned.

“The sleeping giant always remains asleep until certain corruption grows too toxic, a particular deed so offensive of societal benefit, some brutality so noisy, that it is forced but to awaken.”

It's a hopeful perspective, and I appreciate the author's seasoned opinion. Maybe he’ll turn out correct.

In the meantime, the major inquiries remain: can America ever recover? Is it possible to restore its position in the world and its devotion to legal principles?

Or must we acknowledge that the historical project worked for a while, and then – swiftly, totally – ended?

My pessimistic brain indicates that the second option is correct; that everything could be finished. My optimistic spirit, nevertheless, advises me that we must try, in whatever ways available.

In my case, as a media critic, that’s about pushing media professionals to commit, more thoroughly, to their purpose of overseeing leadership. For others, it might involve engaging with congressional campaigns, or organizing rallies, or finding ways to defend electoral access.

Under twelve months back, we were in an alternate reality. A year from now? Or after another term? The reality is, we are uncertain. Our sole course is to attempt to persevere.

What Offers Me Optimism Currently

The contact I experience in the classroom with new media professionals, who are equally visionary and practical, {always