BY BJ Lutz
NBC Chicago

The pervasion of illegal guns in America’s black and Latino communities is a result of “government-sponsored racism,” akin to “slavery, segregation, black codes [and] Jim Crow,” Rahm Emanuel’s new police chief, Garry McCarthy, told parishioners at St. Sabina’s Church earlier this month.

“This is sensitive. You know, because everybody’s afraid of race. Have you noticed that? Everybody’s afraid of race. I’m not afraid of race,” said McCarthy, who told of growing up in the Bronx with guns, gangs and drugs plentiful.

WATCH McCARTHY’S SPEECH HERE

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“Let’s see if we can make a connection here. Slavery. Segregation. Black codes. Jim Crow. What, what did they all have in common? Anybody getting scared? Government sponsored racism.”

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“Now I want you to connect one more dot on that chain of the African American history in this country, and tell me if I’m crazy: Federal gun laws that facilitate the flow of illegal firearms, into our urban centers across this country, that are killing our black and brown children,” he said. McCarthy blasted the NRA, telling parishioners that their communities have paid the price while the gun manufacturers are getting “rich and living in gated communities.”

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