In late October 2024, the situation was completely distinct. Prior to the American presidential vote, considerate Americans could recognize the nation's serious imperfections – its unfairness and imbalance – but they continued to perceive it as the United States. A free society. A country where legal governance held significance. A state led by a honorable and ethical leader, notwithstanding his older age and growing weakness.
Currently, this autumn, many of us barely recognize the country we live in. Persons believed to be illegal immigrants are detained and shoved into vehicles, sometimes blocked from fair treatment. The eastern section of the “people’s house” – is undergoing demolition for an obscene ballroom. Donald Trump is persecuting his political rivals or alleged foes and insisting federal prosecutors surrender a massive sum of citizen dollars. Armed military personnel are being sent into American cities with deceptive justifications. The defense headquarters, rebranded the Department of War, has effectively rid itself of routine media oversight during its expenditure of what could amount to nearly $1tn from citizen taxes. Institutions, attorney offices, journalism organizations are buckling under the president’s threats, and wealthy elites are treated like aristocracy.
“America, only a few months ahead of its quarter-millennium anniversary as the globe's top democratic nation, has crossed the edge toward dictatorship and totalitarianism,” a noted author, commented this past summer. “In the end, faster than I believed likely, it transpired here.”
Each day begins to new horrors. And it's challenging to understand – and agonizing to acknowledge – how severely declined our nation is, and the rapid pace with which it has happened.
Yet, it is known that Trump was legitimately chosen. Even after his deeply disturbing previous administration and even after the alerts that came with the understanding of Project 2025 – even after the president personally said publicly he would rule as a tyrant only on the first day – a majority of citizens selected him instead of Kamala Harris.
As terrifying as today's circumstances is, it’s even scarier to realize that we are just several months into this administration. What will three more years of this downfall leave us? And if that timeframe becomes an prolonged era, since there is no one to stop this president from deciding that a third term is necessary, maybe for national security reasons?
Admittedly, not everything is hopeless. We will have midterm elections next year which might bring a different governmental control, in case Democrats recapture either chamber of parliament. There exist elected officials who are trying to impose some accountability, such as representatives that are initiating an inquiry regarding the effort to cash appropriation from the justice department.
And a presidential election in 2028 could start us down the road to healing exactly as the previous vote placed us on this regrettable path.
There exist countless citizens protesting in the streets of their cities, similar to recent recently in the No Kings rallies.
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 the sixties activism or throughout the Watergate scandal.
During those times, the unstable nation ultimately corrected itself.
The author states he knows the signals of that resurgence and sees it happening currently. As evidence, he cites the widespread marches, the broad, bipartisan pushback regarding a television host's removal and the largely united rejection by reporters to sign government requirements they only publish authorized information.
“The dormant force always remains inactive before specific greed grows too toxic, a particular deed so offensive toward public welfare, specific cruelty so noisy, that the giant is compelled except to rise.”
It's a positive outlook, and I respect the author's seasoned opinion. Possibly he may be validated.
At the same time, the crucial issues remain: will the nation return to normalcy? Can it retrieve its standing globally and its adherence to legal principles?
Or should we recognize that the national endeavor worked for a while, and then – swiftly, totally – ended?
My pessimistic brain tells me that the second option is true; that everything might be lost. My hopeful heart, however, convinces me that we need to strive, in whatever ways possible.
Personally, as a media critic, that’s about encouraging reporters to commit, more thoroughly, to their purpose of scrutinizing authority. For others, it might involve working on election efforts, or planning demonstrations, or finding ways to safeguard ballot privileges.
Under twelve months back, we existed in a separate situation. In the future? Or three years from now? The reality is, we are uncertain. Our sole course is try to continue fighting.
The interaction I encounter in the classroom with aspiring reporters, that are simultaneously idealistic and practical, {always
