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In late October 2024, the environment was entirely separate. Ahead of the US presidential election, thoughtful Americans could admit the nation's deep flaws – its unfairness and disparity – however they continued to see it as America. A free society. A land where constitutional order held significance. A country led by a dignified and upright leader, even with his elderly years and growing weakness.

Currently, as October 2025 ends, many of us hardly identify the nation we reside in. Persons believed to be unauthorized foreigners are collected and pushed into transport, at times blocked from fair treatment. The eastern section of the “people’s house” – is being destroyed for a grotesque ballroom. The leader is harassing his adversaries or perceived antagonists and requesting the justice department hand over a massive sum of citizen dollars. Soldiers with weapons are dispatched to US urban areas with deceptive justifications. The military command, rebranded the Department of War, has practically rid itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny during its expenditure of potentially totaling almost one trillion dollars in public funds. Universities, attorney offices, journalism organizations are yielding from leader's menaces, and wealthy elites are regarded as aristocracy.

“The United States, just months before its quarter-millennium anniversary as the world’s leading democracy, has fallen over the limit into autocracy and extremism,” Garrett Graff, stated in August. “In the end, more quickly than I believed likely, it did happen in America.”

One awakes to new horrors. And it is difficult to grasp – and agonizing to acknowledge – just how far gone we have become, and how quickly it unfolded.

Yet, we understand that the president was duly elected. Even after his highly troubling first term and despite the warnings associated with the understanding of Project 2025 – even after Trump himself declared plainly he would rule as a tyrant only on the first day – sufficient voters chose him instead of Kamala Harris.

As terrifying as the current reality is, it’s even scarier to recognize that we’re only nine months under this leadership. Where will an additional three years of this deterioration position us? And what if that period transforms into a more extended duration, since there is no one to restrain this ruler from determining that additional tenure is required, perhaps for defense purposes?

Admittedly, not everything is hopeless. There are midterm elections next year which might bring a different governmental control, if Democrats recapture either chamber of Congress. There are elected officials who are striving to exert some accountability, such as representatives that are initiating an inquiry regarding the effort to cash appropriation by federal prosecutors.

And a national vote in 2028 could initiate us down the road toward restoration just as the prior selection put us on this disappointing trajectory.

There are countless citizens marching in the streets throughout communities, similar to recent recently at democracy demonstrations.

An ex-cabinet member, wrote recently that “the dormant powerhouse of the US is awakening”, just as it did after the Communist witch-hunt era during the fifties or throughout anti-war demonstrations or during the seventies crisis.

During those times, the listing ship finally returned to balance.

He claims he understands the signs of that resurgence and sees it happening currently. As evidence, he points to the large-scale demonstrations, the broad, cross-party resistance to a television host's removal and the largely united defiance by media to agree to government requirements they solely cover authorized information.

“The slumbering entity consistently stays inactive till specific greed turns extremely harmful, some action so contemptuous of the common good, some brutality so loud, that the giant is compelled but to awaken.”

It's a hopeful perspective, and I respect the author's seasoned opinion. Perhaps he will prove to be right.

In the meantime, the crucial issues remain: can America return to normalcy? Is it possible to restore its position globally and its devotion to legal principles?

Or should we recognize that the national endeavor worked for a while, and then – swiftly, totally – ended?

My cynical mind indicates that the second option is true; that everything could be gone. My optimistic spirit, nevertheless, advises me that we have to attempt, by any means we can.

Personally, as an observer of the press, that’s about encouraging reporters to commit, more thoroughly, to their purpose of scrutinizing authority. For different individuals, it might involve participating in election efforts, or coordinating protests, or discovering methods to protect ballot privileges.

Not even one year prior, we were in a separate situation. A year from now? Or in several years? The fact is, we don’t know. The only option is try to persevere.

What Offers Me Encouragement Today

The engagement I have in the classroom with young journalists, who are equally idealistic and practical, {always