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One year ago, the landscape was completely separate. Before the American presidential vote, considerate Americans could acknowledge the nation's deep flaws – its injustices and inequality – but they still could identify it as the US. A free society. A country where the rule of law held significance. A nation led by a respectable and decent public servant, notwithstanding his elderly years and declining health.

Nowadays, this autumn, countless Americans scarcely know the country we live in. People suspected of being undocumented migrants are rounded up and pushed into vehicles, occasionally refused legal rights. The East Wing of the “people’s house” – is being torn down to build a lavish ballroom. Donald Trump is targeting his adversaries or perceived antagonists and demanding federal prosecutors hand over an enormous amount of taxpayer money. Uniformed troops are deployed across metropolitan centers with deceptive justifications. The Pentagon, rebranded the Department of War, has – in effect – freed itself of routine media oversight as it spends what could amount to almost one trillion dollars in public funds. Universities, law firms, journalism organizations are yielding from leader's menaces, and wealthy elites are treated like nobility.

“The United States, just months before its 250^th birthday as the world’s leading democracy, has crossed the brink into authoritarianism and fascism,” a noted author, wrote in August. “In the end, more quickly than I believed likely, it transpired in America.”

One awakes to new horrors. And it's challenging to understand – and agonizing to acknowledge – how deeply lost our nation is, and how quickly it has happened.

Yet, we understand that the president was duly elected. Despite his deeply disturbing first term and following the warnings associated with the understanding of the rightwing blueprint – despite the leader directly stated openly he planned to rule as a tyrant just on day one – a majority of citizens chose him instead of Kamala Harris.

While alarming as the present situation are, it's more daunting to recognize that we’re only nine months under this leadership. Where will another 36 months of this deterioration find us? And suppose that timeframe turns into a more extended duration, since there is no one to limit this president from determining that additional tenure is required, perhaps for defense purposes?

Admittedly, there is still hope. There are midterm elections next year that could establish an alternate governmental control, in case Democrats recapture either chamber of the legislature. There exist public servants who are trying to exert some accountability, for example Democratic congressmen who are launching an investigation into the attempted fund seizure by federal prosecutors.

And a leadership election in 2028 could start the path to healing just as the prior selection placed us on this regrettable path.

We see countless citizens protesting in public spaces across municipalities, like they performed recently in the No Kings rallies.

Robert Reich, commented this week that “the dormant powerhouse of the nation is stirring”, just as it did following the Red Scare during the fifties or during the sixties activism or in the Nixon controversy.

On those occasions, the unstable nation eventually was righted.

He claims he understands the indicators of that awakening and sees it happening now. For proof, he cites the recent massive protests, the extensive, multi-faction opposition to a personality's dismissal and the largely united refusal by journalists to accept the defense department’s demands they solely cover what is sanctioned.

“The dormant force perpetually exists inactive until specific greed becomes so noxious, a particular deed so offensive of societal benefit, specific cruelty so noisy, that he is compelled but to awaken.”

It's a hopeful perspective, and I respect his knowledgeable stance. Maybe he’ll turn out correct.

At the same time, the big questions endure: is the US able to return to normalcy? Can it reclaim its status in the world and its devotion to legal principles?

Or do we need to admit that the 250-year-old experiment succeeded temporarily, and then – suddenly, utterly – failed?

My negative thoughts indicates that the second option is accurate; that everything might be gone. My hopeful heart, however, tells me that we have to attempt, in whatever ways possible.

For me, as an observer of the press, that means pushing media professionals to adhere, more fully, to their purpose of overseeing leadership. For different individuals, it could mean participating in election efforts, or coordinating protests, or finding ways to defend ballot privileges.

Under twelve months back, we were in a separate situation. Twelve months later? Or three years from now? The reality is, we cannot predict. All we can do is try to persevere.

What Offers Me Optimism Currently

The engagement I encounter with students with new media professionals, that are simultaneously idealistic and grounded, {always