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‘If you were homeless I would fight for you’

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Tom Gordon, “Mayor of Uptown Tent City,” organizes with people living in Chicago homeless encampments.

A letter to the Mayor of Chicago
CHICAGO, IL — You say that you support the homeless people of Chicago. I don’t believe that is true. Because this past weekend we had so many police down in the park in Uptown where we have tents. They are writing tickets because we live in tents. We were told to take our tents down and move. Where are we supposed to go? The city is selling our buildings and we are forced to live in the street. What are we supposed to do?
The Chicago police are supposed to fight crime. Living in a tent is not a crime. Housing is our right, for everyone. What are we supposed to do? Where are we supposed to go? How are you and the Chicago police helping us? We are voters too. We helped put you in office. Is this how you treat people who vote for you?
Even if we are homeless we have rights too. I am one of the main leaders for the homeless people. I am also homeless. I fight for our rights. I fight for all of the homeless people in the city of Chicago. If you were homeless I would be happy to fight for you as well. You are no different than me. The only difference is that you live in a house and I live in a tent.

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