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One year ago, the landscape was completely separate. Before the national election, considerate Americans could recognize America's significant faults – its injustices and inequality – but they continued to perceive it as America. A democratic nation. A land where constitutional order held significance. A country led by a honorable and upright official, notwithstanding his elderly years and increasing frailty.

Currently, this autumn, countless Americans hardly identify the nation we inhabit. Persons believed to be undocumented migrants are collected and shoved into vehicles, at times denied due process. The eastern section of the White House – is undergoing demolition to build a lavish ballroom. The leader is persecuting his political rivals or alleged foes and demanding the justice department surrender an enormous amount of taxpayer money. Soldiers with weapons are dispatched across metropolitan centers under fabricated reasons. The Pentagon, renamed the War Department, has effectively liberated itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny as it spends potentially totaling nearly $1tn from citizen taxes. Universities, legal practices, news companies are buckling due to presidential intimidation, and billionaires are treated like members of the royal family.

“The US, shortly prior to its quarter-millennium anniversary as the world’s leading democracy, has tipped over the edge toward dictatorship and fascism,” a noted author, stated recently. “Finally, faster than I believed likely, it did happen in America.”

Every morning starts amid recent atrocities. And it's hard to comprehend – and painful to realize – how deeply lost we are, and the rapid pace with which it occurred.

However, we know that the leader was legitimately chosen. Even after his highly troubling initial presidency and even after the alerts that came with the awareness of the rightwing blueprint – following Trump himself stated openly he intended to be a dictator solely at the start – sufficient voters selected him rather than the other candidate.

As terrifying as today's circumstances is, it's more frightening to realize that we are just several months into this presidential term. What will an additional three years of this deterioration leave us? And suppose that timeframe turns into an prolonged era, since there is no one to limit this president from deciding that another term is essential, perhaps for defense purposes?

Granted, there is still hope. There will be congressional elections the coming year that may establish an alternate balance of power, in case Democrats recapture the Senate or House of Congress. There exist public servants who are striving to impose a degree of oversight, such as Democratic congressmen currently starting a probe into the attempted cash appropriation from legal authorities.

And a leadership election in 2028 could initiate our journey toward restoration precisely as the previous vote set us on this regrettable path.

There are millions of Americans protesting in the streets throughout communities, like they performed in the past days at democracy demonstrations.

A former official, wrote recently that “the slumbering force of the nation is stirring”, similar to past following the Red Scare in that decade or during the sixties activism or in the Watergate scandal.

On those occasions, the listing ship eventually was righted.

The author states he understands the signs of that awakening and observes it occurring now. For proof, he points to the recent massive protests, the broad, cross-party resistance regarding a television host's removal and the largely united refusal by journalists to agree to government requirements they solely cover approved content.

“The dormant force perpetually exists asleep until certain corruption turns extremely harmful, some action so disrespectful of societal benefit, certain violence so noisy, that he is compelled except to rise.”

It’s an optimistic take, and I respect the author's seasoned opinion. Perhaps he will turn out correct.

In the meantime, 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 constitutional order?

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

My cynical mind suggests that the latter is accurate; that everything could be gone. My optimistic spirit, though, advises me that we need to strive, in whatever ways we can.

For me, as an observer of the press, that involves urging journalists to adhere, more completely, to their duty of scrutinizing authority. For different individuals, it could mean engaging with congressional campaigns, or planning demonstrations, or finding ways to defend ballot privileges.

Under twelve months back, we existed in an alternate reality. In the future? Or in several years? The fact is, we are uncertain. The only option is to attempt to persevere.

What’s Giving Me Optimism Currently

The engagement I encounter with students with young journalists, that are simultaneously hopeful and realistic, {always