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Snopes examines the "Relentlessly Gay" fundraiser
The findings are inconclusive, but there are some concerns and patterns indicating it may be a hoax.
http://m.snopes.com/2015/06/18/relentlessly-gay/
On 16 June 2015, Baltimore resident Julie Baker initiated a GoFundMe campaign titled “Relentlessly Gay,” saying that she had been prompted to start it at the suggestion of her 17-year-old daughter when an anonymous neighbor sent her a letter regarding rainbow jar lights displayed in her yard. The note read: “Your yard is becoming Relentlessly Gay! Myself and Others in the neighborhood ask that you Tone it Down. This is a Christian area and there are Children. Keep it up and I will be forced to call the police on You! Your kind need to have Respect for GOD.”
~ snip ~
Predictably, the suddenly viral GoFundMe campaign attracted some skepticism. Social media users questioned whether the note at the heart of the matter was real, pointing to previous fundraising hoaxes of similar nature, as well as the recent Rachel Dolezal story (which involved a number of dubious claims of race-related threats). Critics particularly seized on the detail that the anonymous (and therefore untraceable) note and Baker’s own writings shared the same curious pattern of superfluously capitalized words.
~ snip ~
In a separate Facebook conversation, Baker stated that she had engaged in a “productive beneficial conversation with the police [and] they were satisfied” but cautioned us that she would “appreciate the officer not being harassed, they have bad guys to deal with, not filling internet pages.” She added: ” … treating a victim like a sideshow attraction is cruel and dangerous and feeds sociopaths … please also understand that I am not under investigation.”
On 24 June 2015 we spoke to a detective at Baker’s local precinct, to whom we were referred by individuals connected with the Relentlessly Gay campaign. Although Baker had stated the previous day that police were “satisfied” with her claim, the detective to whom we spoke said that Baker was either unwilling or unable to produce the letter in question, and that she had maintained it was no longer in her possession. The detective also indicated that he had attempted to meet with Baker in person the previous day but was unable to do so.
~ snip ~
~ snip ~
Predictably, the suddenly viral GoFundMe campaign attracted some skepticism. Social media users questioned whether the note at the heart of the matter was real, pointing to previous fundraising hoaxes of similar nature, as well as the recent Rachel Dolezal story (which involved a number of dubious claims of race-related threats). Critics particularly seized on the detail that the anonymous (and therefore untraceable) note and Baker’s own writings shared the same curious pattern of superfluously capitalized words.
~ snip ~
In a separate Facebook conversation, Baker stated that she had engaged in a “productive beneficial conversation with the police [and] they were satisfied” but cautioned us that she would “appreciate the officer not being harassed, they have bad guys to deal with, not filling internet pages.” She added: ” … treating a victim like a sideshow attraction is cruel and dangerous and feeds sociopaths … please also understand that I am not under investigation.”
On 24 June 2015 we spoke to a detective at Baker’s local precinct, to whom we were referred by individuals connected with the Relentlessly Gay campaign. Although Baker had stated the previous day that police were “satisfied” with her claim, the detective to whom we spoke said that Baker was either unwilling or unable to produce the letter in question, and that she had maintained it was no longer in her possession. The detective also indicated that he had attempted to meet with Baker in person the previous day but was unable to do so.
~ snip ~
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