It’s very interesting that our current President gets away with bypassing the constitution, ignoring our legal system, and even demanding that our United States attorney general pursue a particular case or what to pursue in a case.

This has never happened before, that I know of. If this is what most of us want from our President ,to demand pursuance rather than suggesting, then we should, at least, be ready for the realization that we will never get the same treatment as the “well invested” will get.

Take, for instance, the First Amendment of our Constitution that protects free speech. President Trump said at his inauguration, “After years and years of illegal and unconstitutional federal efforts to restrict free expression, I will also sign an executive order to immediately stop all government censorship and bring back free speech to America. Never again will the immense power of the state be weaponized to persecute political opponents, something I know something about”. This excerpt can be found at “www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/01/20/donald-trump-inauguration-speech-full-text-transcript/77839163007/”.

But do we really have free speech anymore? Is this something that is beginning to be dismantled? Do you feel free to get on social media, a podcast, or online in some other way and say “everything” you want to say? I would guess that none of us have a problem in talking about things such as vaccinations being limited or taken away, especially from our children. HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy has altered the CDC so much it will have a tremendous effect in the future. CDC, formerly a science-based agency, is now based on, well it’s hard to say. We don’t really know, at least I don’t. If the suggestions they are currently making about vaccines are followed by us, our children may see the measles, polio, mumps, and many more childhood diseases, eradicated in the past, again affect their lives.

HHS may not restrict these vaccines, but because they don’t suggest them, our drug companies will eventually be able to charge us for them. Do you think that they will be more expensive than they were for the government when they paid for them? I’m pretty sure the drug companies won’t get hurt in the long run. But what else happens if these vaccines aren’t taken? Children get sicker, there are more hospitalizations, and there will probably be more deaths. Do you know who might benefit due to these horrible actions? Do you think hospitals, clinics, and other health institutions will benefit? Do you believe insurance companies, if affordable at all, will benefit? What about funeral homes and cemeteries? Not all, but some, are in the upper brackets for income, so will you also benefit? Do you even want to benefit from children getting sick and dying?

Let’s move on from free speech opinions and focus on our beloved White House. It is, after all, the people’s house. If you don’t believe this, then go to “www.thepeopleshouse.org”. Are we OK with a ballroom being built? Trump has said it has been the thought of many for a long time. Do you believe this? I don’t ever remember anyone saying the White House had to have a ballroom. Not that it was never said but how would it benefit us? What would a ballroom do for the heads of state that visit? They could dance, but that’s about it. When previous Presidents of this country have had dinners, there has always been music, too. I’m not sure if there was room to dance but does that help our country and others to get business done?

In the past, the White House has been changed by many of our Presidents, but those were internal changes to keep up the “House” or to improve its security and add rooms needed to conduct business. Maybe that’s why President Trump wants the ballroom. To conduct the business of the state. It’s a slight possibility but he may just conduct his own personal business instead. We shall see. It’s already in the process of being built so we will soon see. For me, I’m not a fan of putting on a show. More of getting required business done. What are your thoughts?

So, the business before us is not adding a ballroom to the White House. It’s not saying we will pray for families of children being shot at school or for citizens being shot while shopping, nor for spectators and attendees of sports games or concerts being shot at the event. It’s being able to vocalize our thoughts no matter what they are. It’s for taking a deeper look at the Second Amendment to determine what was really meant by our founding fathers and early Presidents.

If we don’t tackle the latter, shootings will still happen at a more alarming pace than in the past. The only way to really do anything about gun crime, whether it is a single person committing immoral crime or a gang war on our streets, is to do something about guns. Is it too late for this? I certainly hope not, but it might be. Yes, we can talk about mental illness all we want when these events happen and, sure, bringing back programs and professionals to help prevent this will benefit all. In my mind, however, we must look at all these immoral crimes as if they are being committed by those not in their moral mind. Do you agree?

Let’s demand that our politicians begin doing something about those things that happen to us every day. Let’s make sure that the money allocated by Congress for our police, our schools for education, our health professionals and institutions that support us goes to those entities and/or people. Let’s get back full access to vaccinations and other recently scaled-back or eliminated services. Let’s make sure what we have worked and paid for, such as Social Security and Medicare, continue to be supported.

More importantly, let’s remember that most of these things will be called socialism, but this word is being used in an inappropriate way. We are not trying to control companies and the economy. These programs are to make sure people survive within their status. To make sure they have an avenue to get ahead and not an avenue to be like everyone else. If we were alike, it would be a boring life. For instance, Social Security doesn’t give the same check to everyone on the program. Instead, it’s based on previous income. Medicare doesn’t cost the same for each individual but adjusts payments depending on any income you may receive while being on the program. These are not social programs in the definition of the word. These are programs that help our neighbors, family, and friends survive their preferred status in life.

Reed Harris is a longtime Rochelle resident and community volunteer.