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One year ago, the situation was entirely different. Ahead of the national election, considerate citizens could acknowledge the country's serious imperfections – its inequities and disparity – but they still could perceive it as the US. A free society. A country where the rule of law held significance. A country guided by a honorable and decent official, notwithstanding his advanced age and growing weakness.

Nowadays, this autumn, many of us barely recognize the land we inhabit. People suspected of being undocumented migrants are detained and forced into transport, occasionally refused legal rights. The left side of the White House – is being torn down for an obscene ballroom. Donald Trump is persecuting his political rivals or supposed enemies and insisting the justice department transfer a huge total of public funds. Armed military personnel are deployed into American cities with deceptive justifications. The defense headquarters, relabeled the Defense Ministry, has practically freed itself of regular press examination while it uses what could amount to almost one trillion dollars of taxpayer money. Institutions, law firms, journalism organizations are yielding due to presidential intimidation, and billionaires are handled as nobility.

“America, only a few months ahead of its quarter-millennium anniversary as the world’s leading democracy, has crossed the limit into autocracy and totalitarianism,” a noted author, stated recently. “In the end, swifter than I believed likely, it transpired here.”

Each day begins with fresh terrors. And it's hard to comprehend – and agonizing to acknowledge – how deeply lost our nation is, and the rapid pace with which it occurred.

However, we know that the leader was properly voted in. Following his deeply disturbing previous administration and despite the cautions associated with the understanding of the rightwing blueprint – following the leader directly said publicly he planned to be a dictator only on the first day – enough Americans selected him rather than the other candidate.

While alarming as today's circumstances is, it’s even scarier to realize that we are just three-quarters of a year into this administration. What will another 36 months of this deterioration find us? And what if the three years becomes a more extended duration, as there is nobody to limit this ruler from deciding that additional tenure is required, perhaps for national security reasons?

Certainly, not everything is hopeless. There will be legislative votes next year that could establish an alternate governmental control, if Democrats regain either chamber of parliament. We have elected officials who are striving to apply certain responsibility, like representatives that are starting a probe regarding the effort to cash appropriation from legal authorities.

And a leadership election in the next cycle could initiate our journey toward restoration just as last year’s election set us on this regrettable path.

We see countless citizens protesting in public spaces throughout communities, like they performed last weekend at democracy demonstrations.

A former official, stated lately that “the great sleeping giant of the US is stirring”, similar to past post-McCarthyism in that decade or amid the Vietnam war protests or during the seventies crisis.

On those occasions, the listing ship ultimately corrected itself.

The author states he recognizes the indicators of that resurgence and observes it occurring currently. For proof, he cites the large-scale demonstrations, the broad, bipartisan pushback to a broadcaster's firing and the near-unanimous refusal by journalists to agree to government requirements they report only what is sanctioned.

“The slumbering entity perpetually exists inactive until some venality becomes so noxious, some action so offensive toward public welfare, specific cruelty so disruptive, that the giant has no choice except to rise.”

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

Meanwhile, the major inquiries persist: will the nation return to normalcy? Can it reclaim its status in the world and its commitment to constitutional order?

Or should we recognize that the 250-year-old experiment functioned for a period, and then – abruptly, completely – collapsed?

My cynical mind tells me that the final scenario is accurate; that all may indeed be gone. My positive feelings, though, advises me that we must try, in whatever ways available.

For me, working in journalism analysis, that’s about encouraging reporters to commit, more completely, to their purpose of holding power to account. For different individuals, it could mean participating in congressional campaigns, or organizing rallies, or finding ways to defend ballot privileges.

Less than a year ago, we existed in a very different place. In the future? Or three years from now? The truth is, we are uncertain. All we can do is to strive to continue fighting.

What Provides Me Optimism Currently

The contact I have during teaching with new media professionals, that are simultaneously hopeful and realistic, {always