Remember that story about the family that left a nasty note about being gay instead of a tip? Yeah, apparently it didn’t happen. It’s too early to tell what the real story is conclusively, but I won’t be surprised either way. Bigotry happens. So do exploitative hoaxes.
“So do exploitative hoaxes.” I know you meant that as “exploitative hoaxes also happen” but it struck me funny that it could be seen as a command – i.e., “bigotry happens; so [go and] do exploitative hoaxes [in order to call attention to real bigotry] – which I think is the mindset of many hoaxers. It’s amazing how many of my professors, when confronted with a hate crime hoax, would insist “this still helps call attention to the real problems out there, so the hoaxers were likely well intentioned” – i.e., fake but accurate!