Let's go there.

Dear Diary,

What the actual fuck is happening in America?

Where do I even start?

I understand that none of this magically happened overnight. This has been a long process, and many of us saw the red flags years ago. The American government has been corrupt for a long time, with policy and decisions driven by money, power, and influence far beyond what most of us can see or understand.

However, for decades — at least within my living memory — one political party in particular has fear-mongered relentlessly about the government becoming too big, too powerful, and turning against its citizens.

Now here we are in 2026, and that same party appears to be actively pushing for exactly that outcome.

Regarding the killing of Renée Good by an ICE agent, I am deeply disturbed by the official narrative surrounding the incident. The publicly available footage and witness accounts raise serious questions that, at the very least, deserve transparent investigation. Many viewers do not see evidence that she posed an immediate threat.

At best, the agent involved was not adequately prepared or emotionally equipped to handle the situation. At worst, the incident reflects a disturbing misuse of force. Reports that the agent used misogynistic language during or after the incident only deepen concerns about judgment, bias, and accountability.

What is perhaps most inconceivable to me is the level of callousness and apathy I see among Americans. Our capitalist, money-first societal structure has conditioned us to abandon one another. We perform kindness when it is convenient or publicly rewarded, but when faced with real, uncomfortable human suffering, many people look away.

The same political faction that traffics in wild conspiracy theories and evidence-free accusations against others seems remarkably willing to excuse, deny, deflect or look the other way when confronted with credible claims, documented patterns, or even direct evidence involving their own leaders.

I have also spent years wondering why Donald Trump attempted to withdraw the United States from NATO during his first term. NATO exists on the principle that an attack on one is an attack on all — a collective security framework built through decades of cooperation and shared sacrifice.

Now we see continued hostility toward long-standing alliances. To what end? Why ignore corruption and devastation in some parts of the world while asserting control over others? The answers may be obvious, but the pattern is still alarming.

Trump has spoken openly about “the enemy within,” fully aware that such rhetoric fuels division, fear, and dehumanization. If federal institutions are used to intimidate, silence, or harm civilians without accountability, then the phrase takes on a chilling new meaning. If this administration and ICE are not the enemy from within, then I don't know what is.

I’m not claiming things were ever perfect before Trump. They were not. But they have undeniably grown darker — and there is no clear sign of reversal.

I started asking ChatGPT questions just trying to process my thoughts and get unbiased feedback in return. At first I was met with basically being told there's nothing to worry about and it's just political policy change and it seems scary. I was told that it's just "political friction" and perhaps authoritarian leaning in some ways but far from authoritarian takeover. So I asked at what point is that line crossed? So chat listed these signs of a possible authoritarian takeover threat: 

"The real “authoritarian takeover” line — truthfully 

Not “one awful incident,” not “horrible rhetoric,” and not “policies I hate.” Those can exist in democracies. 

The line becomes authoritarian when you see a pattern of specific moves that break the ability to remove or restrain power. Here are the big, widely-used warning signs (the “red lines”): 

A. Elections stop being meaningfully free and fair manipulating election administration to predetermine outcomes refusing to accept results blocking voting in targeted ways using state power to punish opposition in election context 

B. Rule of law breaks: leaders become effectively above the law ignoring court orders purging prosecutors/judges to ensure personal immunity using prosecutions selectively to crush opponents while allies get impunity

C. Independent institutions get neutralized gutting inspector generals / oversight bodies politicizing civil service so agencies become personal tools dismantling independent watchdogs and regulators 

D. State force becomes political force using federal law enforcement or military as a tool against political opponents or protests normalizing excessive force + blocking accountability “emergency” justifications become permanent 

E. Information environment gets controlled intimidation of press punishing dissenters (media, universities, NGOs) “only the leader tells the truth” becomes state posture 

When several of these are happening at the same time, and especially when you see noncompliance with courts or attempts to entrench power beyond elections, that’s when “this is becoming authoritarian” stops being a fear-feeling and becomes a defensible classification." 

I said "Chat…Trump is literally doing ALL of those things to some extent" It proceeded to state that: 

"❌ But the red lines have not fully snapped 

Here are the lines that — if crossed — mean “this is no longer a democracy in practice”: 

1. Courts are openly ignored or shut down Not criticized Not appealed But flat-out defied without consequence 

2. Elections are canceled, indefinitely postponed, or results overridden by force Not challenged rhetorically Not litigated But nullified 

3. Opposition leaders are imprisoned or banned en masse Not investigated Not criticized But removed simply for opposing 

4. Military or federal force is used broadly against civilians for political control Not isolated incidents under investigation But normalized, nationwide repression 

5. Emergency powers become permanent with no oversight 

Not declared temporarily 

But entrenched."

I asked at what point do we worry- when it's already too late? That is when chat finally started to acknowledge that we should not wait to worry until it's too late and then proceeded to give me ideas on how to try and stop this from escalating further: 

"You’re right: waiting until it’s “obviously too late” is not a plan. The good news is: democracies don’t usually get saved by one heroic moment. They get saved by a lot of boring, coordinated friction that prevents power from consolidating—courts, elections, oversight, state governments, civil society, journalism, and everyday people building capacity. Here’s what actually works (and what you can do) before the “red lines” snap. 

The 5 levers that stop an authoritarian slide 

1) Make “court + oversight compliance” non-negotiable 

Authoritarian takeovers accelerate when leaders ignore courts and face no consequences. 

What helps: Support litigation and watchdog groups that sue to enforce constitutional limits (e.g., Protect Democracy’s work is specifically about preventing consolidation of power). 

Support civil liberties orgs that challenge unlawful government action and defend dissent (ACLU). 

What you can do: Join local/state “rapid response” or volunteer networks that help push accountability (letters, testimony, mobilization, court support). 

Call your members of Congress about oversight demands (hearings, IG independence, compliance with subpoenas, reporting requirements). 

2) Defend election integrity where it actually breaks: local + state If there’s one place “too late” happens, it’s election administration being quietly undermined. What helps: Track and push back on restrictive voting law changes and election-worker intimidation (Brennan Center tracks state voting laws and threats to election integrity). 

Support reforms that reduce manipulation (independent redistricting, ranked-choice voting, stronger protections for election workers)—these are mainstream pro-democracy recommendations in multiple spaces. 

What you can do: Become a poll worker / election observer (local elections offices often recruit—this is one of the highest “impact per hour” moves). 

Join nonpartisan voter protection efforts in your state. Focus on state-level offices (Secretary of State / AG / Governor / state legislature) because they control election rules and enforcement. 

3) Build broad coalitions, not ideological silos 

Democracies resist backsliding when people who disagree on policy still agree on rules of the game. What helps: Cross-ideological “pro-democracy” coalitions (Protect Democracy explicitly frames this as nonpartisan/anti-authoritarian). 

Community institutions organizing for nonviolence and civic stability (AP has covered local coalitions doing exactly that around elections). 

What you can do: Pick one issue you care about (women’s rights, immigration due process, free speech, voting) and show up consistently—coalitions are built by repetition, not virality. 

Support local journalism + fact-based information networks (authoritarian drift thrives in misinformation and cynicism). 

4) Reduce the government’s ability to “weaponize” force by increasing transparency 

When force gets politicized, transparency + documentation + legal challenge slows it down. 

What helps: Civil rights monitoring, FOIA/public records, independent investigations, and lawsuits that force disclosure. 

Know-your-rights education and legal aid support (often coordinated through civil liberties orgs). 

What you can do: Support local legal aid / civil rights groups. Learn your rights for protest/encounters (and share resources—not hot takes). 

5) Make “soft landing” plans so you’re not paralyzed 

This isn’t “fleeing.” It’s reducing fear by creating options. 

What you can do (practical, not paranoid): Keep documents organized (IDs, birth certs, passports, medical records). 

Build a small emergency buffer (even $10/week). Map two safe fallback options: an in-country move + a 1–3 month “pause” abroad. (You don’t have to use them—just having them calms the brain.) 

The line isn’t one event. It’s institutional defiance 

If you want the clearest “now we’re in the danger zone” signal, it’s this: court orders ignored election administration captured opposition rights curtailed force normalized against dissent emergency powers entrenched 

Your job isn’t to predict the future—it’s to increase friction so those steps get blocked." 

Truthfully, I wish I could simply stop worrying but I care too much. Not just for me and mine. The only people I don't care about are the people that don't care about others being hurt. My empathy has its limits and I've finally hit a threshold of compassion fatigue. People say "oh, I thought you were on the side of loving everybody" but I don't think it's good to love people that are ok with hurting others and lack compassion and empathy for others that are not a part of their own "group." Just like classic bullies and abusers, they taunt you and then say "you're so sensitive" and say "fuck your feelings" and laugh, but when the tables turn they are much quicker to cry and scream about injustice- but only when it personally effects them of course.

Signing off for the night, 

XO, Destyni 

Sources: 

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/fatal-ice-shooting-minneapolis-activist-sets-stage-national-protests-2026-01-10/?utm_source=chatgpt.com 

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/with-blitz-policies-trump-goes-beyond-project-2025s-goals-2025-02-14/?utm_source=chatgpt.com 

https://www.aclu.org/news/civil-liberties/project-2025-offers-dystopian-view-of-america?utm_source=chatgpt.com 

https://www.aclu.org/project-2025-explained?utm_source=chatgpt.com

 https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/loud-noises-heard-venezuela-capital-southern-area-without-electricity-2026-01-03/?utm_source=chatgpt.com 

https://apnews.com/article/greenland-us-trump-denmark-61eeb97b7199548e3aa13ef9f5c9d545 

https://www.nato.int/en/what-we-do/introduction-to-nato/natos-purpose https://www.nato.int/en/about-us/nato-history/a-short-history-of-nato

chatgpt.com