A naïve nineteen year old, I arrived in Chicago, the Windy City.
Believe me, this was the Windy City in more ways than one.
Leaving Louisiana was a giant step for me, but eventually I adapted, and Chicago became my home, my city, my kind of town.
Regardless, no one could have ready me for the subtle racism.
Living on the South Side, I remembered my experience shopping at the Jewels in Bridgeport.
Several white youths viciously threw fruits at me using profane language.
I eventually moved to the North Side, envisioning life was better.
However, being part of the Civil Rights Movement in Louisiana still did not prepare me for this next phase of my life.
Little did I know that the barriers of racism existed in many places but cunningly veiled with an invisible cloth.
Now I know what Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr.
experienced when he came to Chicago.
Living in Chicago, my life took on a new meaning, especially when I became the first African-American elected official on the North Side of Chicago.
When I ran for office they did not use my picture but my name Reed, which can pass for Jewish or Irish.
That was a hurting and crushing experience but reality.
I knew my philosophy was different but I still kept silent just like in the film "The Butler".
I remained calm, meek, yet in denial.
I said to myself, "I can overcome this and bring all races together".
Reality smacked me in the face.
They had convinced my race to turned against me.
"Why"? I asked myself, but then I truly understood what King meant when he said, "My own race spit at me because they did not understand or blinded by others.
" I was a different: educated, independent, uncontrollable and perceived as a different type of Black, which is to some unacceptable.
Wow! That's deep.
Racism came to light from various groups whether they were conservative or liberal.
Those were just labels with little meaning.
It had nothing to do with the person.
Those that claimed fighting racism and hate crimes, their true identities unearthed.
They had failed to look at themselves in the mirror to see the true reflection of racism.
I became perturbed with people using the Civil Rights Movement as their way to receive acceptance and fairness yet had contempt against us.
The Civil Rights Movement was the African-American movement.
We were the ones that experienced the slavery and the Jim Crow Laws.
We were ones beaten, suffered and lynched.
Do not fight for justice when you are unjust.
Do not say you love when you really hate.
Do not say you really want to help when you are keeping us down.
Do not say you know how we feel when you have no feelings.
Do take or adapt our causes for your own desires and opportunities and then reject us and keep us down.
The hands of the clock have turned counterclockwise.
We are moving backwards instead of forward.
Where are the voices for justice? Oh say can we see by the dawn early light.
Where are the voices for justice? Land that I love.
Where are the voices for justice? God bless America Where are the voices for justice? Sing with the harmony of liberty.
The voices of justice are becoming fewer The songs of our ancestors have been hushed.
Who truly cares about hearing our voices, crying out for justice? Were the chains of racism ever severed? Where are the voices for justice? Can you speak a little louder? I can't hear you.
Are your there? S-I-L-E-N-C-E We shall overcome.