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As regular readers know, I produce an online video series called “BLUNT” in which anyone can concisely and civilly speak their minds for 30 seconds and be heard. I’m about to produce a new one on gun violence, so feel free to submit a short video to me in the next 2 or 3 days.

Tweets are another wonderful grassroots outlet. I’ve posted some below, because emotions are running very high today due to the horrific Connecticut tragedy, and the messages are strong, fascinating, and important.

In my post “WTF is the matter with Michigan? Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse…” there was this:

Michigan gun owners with extra training could carry concealed weapons in schools under a bill OK’d by a House panel Yes, guns in schools are A-OK with Michigan’s “pro-life” Republicans:

Gun owners with concealed weapon permits could get additional training that would allow them to carry their concealed firearms in schools and at sporting events on school property under legislation approved Wednesday by a Michigan House committee.

The bill, OK’d 7-2 by majority Republicans along party lines, is awaiting potential final votes before lawmakers conclude their lame-duck session. [...]

Public schools – currently gun-free unless someone openly carries a weapon – would have to allow concealed weapons under the bill… [U]nintended consequences – more potential for altercations at football games or students finding teachers’ guns in locked places.

Is it the right time to discuss responsible gun regulation yet?

Then the Connecticut school shooting massacre happened. All day I’ve been reading tweet after tweet; most were very insightful, thoughtful, even devastating, and a few made me want to scream. I thought I’d share a few of the more recent ones, because our voices matter:

In the last decade, 334,182 people in America were killed by gun violence bit.ly/NJNMDJ

— Scott Keyes (@smkeyes) December 14, 2012

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MEANWHILE IN MICHIGAN NOW IT’S LEGAL TO CARRY GUNS IN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL i bet it wasn’t black & brown people clamoring for that law

— Liza Sabater (@blogdiva) December 14, 2012

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This morning a crazy man attacked 22 children at an elementary school- in China. But all the crazy man had was a knife. Number of dead? Zero

— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) December 14, 2012

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Your right to a gun does not trump my right and my children’s rights to live, and to live without the constant threat of being slaughtered.

— Kurt Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) December 14, 2012

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What happened to original intent of the constitution? Conservatives seem to have an activist view of the 2nd Amend protecting assault rifles

— Lee Fang (@lhfang) December 14, 2012

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RT @forevermoraa23: When did this world get so cold…. When did senseless violence become a norm \ When @nra & #ALEC saw profit potential.

— Angie Coiro (@Angie_Coiro) December 14, 2012

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Who could possibly give a shit? RT @politico: Coulter advocates concealed-carry laws…

— daveweigel (@daveweigel) December 14, 2012

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Tweeter says I might have well killed those kids myself–since I don’t favor arming schools to the hilt.

— Greg Mitchell (@GregMitch) December 14, 2012

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Ugh. STHU. RT @tpm: Mike Huckabee: Schools a “place of carnage” because we “systematically removed God” tpm.ly/12qhhT9

— ProfB (@AntheaButler) December 14, 2012

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Just three blocks from the White House, one of the NRA’s main lobbying firms has an office goo.gl/2BBBj Prime Policy Group

— Lee Fang (@lhfang) December 14, 2012

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If laws controlled guns the way the NRA controls politicians, the US would be the safest country in the world.

— Andy Borowitz (@BorowitzReport) December 14, 2012