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Twelve months back, the landscape was completely different. Before the American presidential vote, reflective residents could acknowledge America's deep flaws – its injustices and inequality – yet they continued to perceive it as the United States. A free society. A place where constitutional order carried weight. A nation led by a honorable and upright official, notwithstanding his elderly years and increasing frailty.

Nowadays, this autumn, numerous citizens scarcely know the country we inhabit. Individuals alleged as unauthorized foreigners are collected and pushed into vehicles, sometimes refused legal rights. The left side of the White House – is being destroyed for an obscene dance hall. The president is targeting his adversaries or perceived antagonists and insisting federal prosecutors surrender a massive sum of public funds. Armed military personnel are deployed into American cities under fabricated reasons. The defense headquarters, relabeled the War Department, has practically rid itself of routine media oversight during its expenditure of potentially totaling close to a trillion USD from citizen taxes. Colleges, attorney offices, media outlets are submitting under the president’s threats, and wealthy elites are regarded as nobility.

“The US, only a few months ahead of its quarter-millennium anniversary as the planet's foremost free society, has crossed the limit toward dictatorship and fascism,” an American historian, wrote this past summer. “In the end, swifter than I believed likely, it did happen in America.”

One awakes with fresh terrors. And it's difficult to grasp – and distressing to accept – how severely declined we are, and how quickly it unfolded.

Yet, we understand that Trump was legitimately chosen. Even after his profoundly alarming initial presidency and despite the cautions linked to the knowledge of the conservative plan – following Trump himself stated openly he would act as an autocrat just on day one – sufficient voters chose him over his Democratic opponent.

As terrifying as the current reality is, it's more daunting to realize that we are just several months into this administration. What will another 36 months of this deterioration position us? And what if the three years turns into a more extended duration, since there is no one to limit this leader from opting that a third term is necessary, maybe for defense purposes?

Granted, all is not lost. There will be legislative votes next year that may create a new governmental control, should Democrats retake one or both houses of parliament. We have public servants who are trying to impose a degree of oversight, for example representatives that are launching an investigation into the attempted money grab from the justice department.

And a leadership election three years from now could initiate us down the road toward restoration precisely as last year’s election put us on this disappointing trajectory.

We see countless citizens protesting in urban areas throughout communities, similar to recent recently during anti-authority protests.

Robert Reich, wrote recently that “the slumbering force of America is stirring”, just as it did following the Red Scare in the 1950s or throughout anti-war demonstrations or in the Nixon controversy.

During those times, the listing ship ultimately corrected itself.

The author states he recognizes the signals of that resurgence and observes it occurring now. As evidence, he cites the widespread marches, the broad, cross-party resistance regarding a television host's removal and the largely united defiance by media to agree to the defense department’s demands they report only authorized information.

“The sleeping giant consistently stays asleep before specific greed turns extremely harmful, an specific act so disrespectful of societal benefit, specific cruelty so disruptive, that he has no choice other than to stir.”

It’s an optimistic take, and I value the author's seasoned opinion. Maybe he’ll turn out correct.

Meanwhile, the crucial issues endure: is the US able to return to normalcy? Can it reclaim its status globally and its commitment to the rule of law?

Or must we acknowledge that the historical project succeeded temporarily, and then – suddenly, utterly – failed?

My pessimistic brain indicates that the second option is accurate; that everything could be gone. My positive feelings, though, tells me that we need to strive, in whatever ways available.

Personally, working in journalism analysis, that means pushing media professionals to adhere, more thoroughly, to their mission of scrutinizing authority. For others, it may be working on political races, or coordinating protests, or discovering methods to protect ballot privileges.

Less than a year ago, we existed in a very different place. In the future? Or in several years? The fact is, we cannot predict. The only option is try to persevere.

What’s Giving Me Hope Now

The interaction I experience in the classroom with young journalists, who are equally visionary and realistic, {always