> Perhaps you weren’t a member of any groups affected by the issues that have been protested recently and throughout recent history.

I am, and I still think that the protesters are making a mountain out of a molehill.

Their response to police brutality is disproportionate. They are destroying innocent bystanders lives and livelihoods; the celebrities who are egging them on are doing so because their neighbourhoods, livelihoods and lives are not getting burned down (see https://www.rt.com/sport/490393-burn-that-shit-down-tweet-nb...).

Th only way to stop the protests is to bus protesters into those areas inhabited by these celebrity morons.

The people who are arguing against the police using teargas on rioters will sing a different tune when the mob is coming down their street, burning everything in their path. I guarantee that they will call for an armed response to someone attempting to burn their house down.

> They are destroying innocent bystanders lives and livelihoods; the celebrities who are egging them on are doing so because their neighbourhoods, livelihoods and lives are not getting burned down (see https://www.rt.com[...])

With due respect, I fear this may be precisely an example of the "majority illusion" described in the article.

You're not seeing a representative sample of "their responses" or "celebrities" -- you're seeing a sample selected by the media specifically for the quality of being newsworthy. (Or entertaining, or engaging, or aligning with the outlet's political views)

If we're to learn anything from this PLOS article, it's that we should not be overly confident in our views about what "everyone else" is doing.

> You're not seeing a representative sample of "their responses" or "celebrities" -- you're seeing a sample selected by the media specifically for the quality of being newsworthy. (Or entertaining, or engaging, or aligning with the outlet's political views)

You are quite correct, but that just means that the mob is getting positive reinforcement for their actions from a vocal minority.

After all, I am seeing what the mob is seeing, and it looks like overwhelming support for the disproportionate response.

I think there is a difference if the police kills someone because it is state violence everyone in society is responsible for. That is a huge difference in these events. I also think there was a powder keg that got released.

That said, I fully agree on the proclamations of many celebrities and I don't think anyone sees discrimination through an objective lens. I would certainly not kneel to any demands of protesters. Honestly, I think a majority of them would benefit from a stern talk by their parents. But that doesn't apply to everyone.

I have not seen any video or even claims of police using tear gas to cause looters to stop looting. It has probably happened a few times, but it looks abundantly clear to me that tear gas is overwhelmingly used on large groups of organized and peaceful protesters, and the looting is happening elsewhere. I’ve seen so much footage of organized protests marching down streets, and it does not appear that they are burning anything in their path.

Definitely, I feel like my life just has been in this cacoon lacking externalities and realities of struggles many others experience. I express my empathy towards them and protest for a just, fair and accountable system of law enforcement.