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One year ago, the environment was entirely distinct. Ahead of the US presidential election, considerate Americans could recognize the nation's significant faults – its injustices and disparity – however they continued to identify it as the United States. A democratic nation. A country where the rule of law held significance. A nation guided by a respectable and ethical official, even with his elderly years and declining health.

Currently, in late October 2025, countless Americans hardly identify the land we inhabit. Persons believed to be undocumented migrants are detained and pushed into vans, occasionally refused legal rights. The eastern section of the White House – is undergoing demolition for a grotesque event space. The president is targeting his adversaries or perceived antagonists and demanding legal authorities surrender an enormous amount of public funds. Soldiers with weapons are deployed across metropolitan centers with deceptive justifications. The military command, rebranded the Defense Ministry, has – in effect – liberated itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny as it spends possibly reaching close to a trillion USD from citizen taxes. Colleges, legal practices, news companies are submitting under the president’s threats, and wealthy elites are regarded as members of the royal family.

“America, shortly prior to its 250^th birthday as the globe's top democratic nation, has fallen over the edge into authoritarianism and fascism,” a noted author, commented this past summer. “Ultimately, faster than I believed likely, it did happen here.”

Each day begins to new horrors. And it's difficult to grasp – and agonizing to acknowledge – just how far gone we have become, and the rapid pace with which it occurred.

However, we know that the president was legitimately chosen. Following his highly troubling first term and even after the warnings that came with the awareness of the rightwing blueprint – even after the leader directly stated openly he intended to rule as a tyrant solely at the start – enough Americans selected him rather than the other candidate.

As terrifying as the present situation may be, it's more daunting to understand that we are just nine months into this presidential term. How will an additional three years of this deterioration leave us? And what if that timeframe turns into something even longer, since there is no one to stop this president from opting that additional tenure is required, perhaps for national security reasons?

Certainly, there is still hope. There are congressional elections the coming year that may create a new governmental control, should Democrats recapture the Senate or House of the legislature. There are government representatives who are trying to apply some accountability, for example representatives that are starting a probe regarding the effort to fund seizure from the justice department.

And a national vote in the next cycle could initiate our journey to healing precisely as last year’s election set us on this disappointing trajectory.

There exist countless citizens demonstrating in public spaces across municipalities, similar to recent recently at democracy demonstrations.

Robert Reich, commented this week that “the slumbering force of America is rising”, just as it did after the Communist witch-hunt era in that decade or throughout the Vietnam war protests or throughout the seventies crisis.

In those instances, the unstable nation eventually was righted.

The author states he knows the signals of that revival and observes it occurring currently. For proof, he references the widespread marches, the widespread, bipartisan pushback against a television host's removal and the almost universal defiance by media to agree to military mandates they report only approved content.

“The slumbering entity perpetually exists asleep till certain corruption becomes so noxious, a particular deed so contemptuous of the common good, specific cruelty so loud, that it is compelled but to awaken.”

It's a hopeful perspective, and I value the author's seasoned opinion. Possibly he may prove to be right.

Meanwhile, the major inquiries remain: can America ever recover? Can it retrieve its status in the world and its commitment to constitutional order?

Or do we need to admit that the national endeavor worked for a while, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My cynical mind indicates that the final scenario is correct; that everything might be finished. My optimistic spirit, though, convinces me that we need to strive, by any means possible.

For me, as an observer of the press, that’s about pushing media professionals to adhere, more completely, to their purpose of overseeing leadership. For some people, it might involve engaging with political races, or organizing rallies, or finding ways to safeguard voting rights.

Less than a year ago, we existed in a separate situation. A year from now? Or in several years? The truth is, we cannot predict. All we can do is try to continue fighting.

What Provides Me Encouragement Today

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