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Twelve months back, the situation was completely different. Ahead of the national election, thoughtful citizens could recognize the country's deep flaws – its unfairness and disparity – yet they could still perceive it as the United States. A democratic nation. A place where the rule of law meant something. A nation guided by a dignified and upright leader, notwithstanding his advanced age and increasing frailty.

Currently, in late October 2025, countless Americans hardly identify the land we inhabit. People believed to be illegal immigrants are detained and forced into vehicles, occasionally blocked from fair treatment. The left side of the White House – is being destroyed to build a lavish event space. Donald Trump is persecuting his opponents or perceived antagonists and insisting the justice department transfer a massive sum of public funds. Uniformed troops are dispatched to US urban areas under fabricated reasons. The Pentagon, renamed the Defense Ministry, has practically freed itself of regular press examination as it spends potentially totaling nearly $1tn from citizen taxes. Colleges, legal practices, journalism organizations are yielding from leader's menaces, and wealthy elites are regarded as members of the royal family.

“America, just months before its 250^th birthday as the world’s leading democracy, has fallen over the brink into autocracy and fascism,” Garrett Graff, commented in August. “Finally, swifter than I believed likely, it occurred in America.”

Every morning starts with fresh terrors. And it is hard to comprehend – and painful to realize – just how far gone we are, and how quickly it unfolded.

Yet, it is known that the president was duly elected. Despite his highly troubling first term and even after the warnings associated with the awareness of Project 2025 – even after Trump himself declared plainly he planned to be a dictator only on the first day – enough Americans elected him instead of his Democratic opponent.

Frightening as today's circumstances are, it’s even scarier to understand that we are just several months into this administration. How will three more years of this decline leave us? And if that period turns into a more extended duration, as there is no one to limit this ruler from deciding that another term is necessary, maybe for national security reasons?

Granted, not everything is hopeless. There will be legislative votes next year that could bring a different governmental control, in case Democrats recapture the Senate or House of parliament. There exist elected officials who are trying to impose certain responsibility, such as representatives currently launching an investigation into the attempted fund seizure from legal authorities.

And a leadership election in 2028 could start us down the road toward restoration just as the prior selection placed us on this unfortunate course.

We see millions of Americans protesting in public spaces of their cities, like they performed last weekend in the No Kings rallies.

Robert Reich, stated lately that “the slumbering force of America is rising”, exactly as before following the Red Scare during the fifties or amid the sixties activism or in the Watergate scandal.

On those occasions, the listing ship eventually was righted.

The author states he recognizes the signs of that resurgence and sees it happening currently. As evidence, he cites the recent massive protests, the extensive, multi-faction opposition regarding a television host's removal and the largely united refusal by journalists to accept military mandates they solely cover authorized information.

“The sleeping giant perpetually exists inactive until certain corruption turns extremely harmful, some action so offensive of the common good, some brutality so noisy, that he has no choice but to awaken.”

It's a hopeful perspective, and I value his knowledgeable stance. Possibly he may be validated.

At the same time, the crucial issues remain: can America return to normalcy? Can it reclaim its standing internationally and its adherence to the rule of law?

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

My negative thoughts indicates that the latter is accurate; that everything might be finished. My optimistic spirit, nevertheless, convinces me that we must try, through all methods available.

Personally, as a media critic, that involves encouraging reporters to adhere, more thoroughly, to their duty of holding power to account. For others, it may be participating in congressional campaigns, or planning demonstrations, or discovering methods to safeguard voting rights.

Not even one year prior, we lived in an alternate reality. In the future? Or three years from now? The fact is, we cannot predict. The only option is to attempt to continue fighting.

What’s Giving Me Hope Now

The contact I encounter in the classroom with new media professionals, that are simultaneously visionary and grounded, {always