The racists smile.

It is the anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., murdered in Memphis in 1968.

I read Barbara Byrd-Bennett’s declaration on the eve of this anniversary. She was “insulted” to be called a racist.

Of course, nobody called her a racist.

She certainly makes the racists smile.

As does the ethnic cleansing of the City of Chicago.

The very neighborhood that Martin Luther King chose to live in during his Chicago fair housing campaign has seen some of the greatest losses in African-American population. They did not move to some other city neighborhood. They are just gone.

The city has lost over a quarter of a million African-American residents over the past ten years.

One cause has been the cycle – a decade of school closings and the destruction of public housing resulting in a loss of population – then more school closings using the loss of population as the excuse. Then further loss of population.

Map: Catalyst

CTU President Karen Lewis says the closing plan is based in racism and classism. Her claim is supported by the data.

CPS CEO Barbar Byrd-Bennett acts offended at the suggestion.

And the racists smile.