A Heartbreaking Transformation Just One Year Has Caused in the United States

Twelve months back, the environment was utterly different. Ahead of the US presidential election, reflective citizens could recognize the nation's serious imperfections – its injustices and inequality – however they could still perceive it as the US. A democratic nation. A country where constitutional order meant something. A country guided by a respectable and ethical official, even with his elderly years and declining health.

Nowadays, this autumn, countless Americans barely recognize the country we reside in. Individuals suspected of being unauthorized foreigners are rounded up and pushed into vehicles, sometimes refused legal rights. The East Wing of the presidential residence – is undergoing demolition for an obscene event space. The president is harassing his political rivals or alleged foes and insisting legal authorities surrender an enormous amount of citizen dollars. Uniformed troops are dispatched into American cities with deceptive justifications. The defense headquarters, renamed the Department of War, has effectively rid itself of regular press examination as it spends potentially totaling nearly $1tn from citizen taxes. Colleges, attorney offices, journalism organizations are yielding from leader's menaces, and rich magnates are regarded as aristocracy.

“The US, just months before its 250^th birthday as the planet's foremost free society, has fallen over the limit into authoritarianism and extremism,” an American historian, stated in August. “In the end, more quickly than I thought feasible, it did happen in this country.”

One awakes to new horrors. And it's difficult to grasp – and painful to realize – how deeply lost our nation is, and the speed at which it unfolded.

Yet, it is known that the president was properly voted in. Following his highly troubling initial presidency and following the alerts linked to the awareness of the rightwing blueprint – following the leader directly said publicly he planned to rule as a tyrant just on day one – enough Americans elected him instead of his Democratic opponent.

While alarming as the present situation are, it's more frightening to realize that we are just three-quarters of a year into this presidential term. What will an additional three years of this downfall find us? And what if the three years turns into something even longer, since there is no one to stop this president from opting that another term is essential, perhaps for defense purposes?

Admittedly, there is still hope. There are midterm elections the coming year which might create a new governmental control, in case Democrats regain the Senate or House of parliament. We have public servants who are trying to exert a degree of oversight, such as representatives who are initiating an inquiry concerning the try to cash appropriation from the justice department.

And a presidential election in 2028 could begin us down the road to recovery exactly as last year’s election placed us on this disappointing trajectory.

We see millions of Americans protesting in the streets of their cities, as they did recently during anti-authority protests.

A former official, stated lately that “the great sleeping giant of the nation is awakening”, exactly as before after the Communist witch-hunt era in that decade or during the Vietnam war protests or throughout the seventies crisis.

During those times, the listing ship eventually was righted.

The author states he recognizes the signs of that resurgence and observes it occurring now. As evidence, he references the widespread marches, the broad, bipartisan pushback regarding a television host's removal and the almost universal rejection by reporters to sign the defense department’s demands they solely cover approved content.

“The sleeping giant consistently stays asleep before specific greed turns extremely harmful, some action so disrespectful of societal benefit, specific cruelty so noisy, that the giant is compelled other than to stir.”

It's a positive outlook, and I value the author's seasoned opinion. Perhaps he will prove to be right.

Meanwhile, the big questions endure: is the US able to regain its footing? Is it possible to restore its position in the world and its adherence to the rule of law?

Or should we recognize that the 250-year-old experiment worked for a while, and then – suddenly, utterly – failed?

My cynical mind tells me that the final scenario is accurate; that everything could be finished. My positive feelings, though, advises me that we have to attempt, in whatever ways available.

Personally, as a media critic, that’s about encouraging reporters to commit, more thoroughly, to their purpose of holding power to account. For some people, it could mean engaging with congressional campaigns, or organizing rallies, or finding ways to protect electoral access.

Not even one year prior, we were in an alternate reality. In the future? Or three years from now? The truth is, we cannot predict. All we can do is to strive to persevere.

What Offers Me Optimism Currently

The engagement I encounter during teaching with new media professionals, who are equally idealistic and practical, {always