I have never encountered any difficulties with service animals. However, the Paris Hilton-inspired Emotional Support Chihuahua and Emotional Support Pomeranian is always a thing that barks at small children, gives the owner an excuse to cut in front of you and demand boons from the flight crew, and is "taken for a walk" up and down the aisle where it rummages in your bag. Every time. Without fail. My experience has been that emotional support animals, in regards to aviation, are universally badges to justify attempts to garner preferential treatment. Considering we're all trying to get along in a crowded elevator for hours-to-days, your inability to manage your emotions without an animal in your arms belies your ability to manage the animal in your arms. I understand that their lives didn't turn out the way they wanted them to so now their furbabies get them through their day. But we all make sacrifices of comfort and identity in order to cohabitate a too-small too-uncomfortable environment and emotional support animals are a highly consumptive annoyance that mostly serves to unite everyone else on the plane in hating them. That they're 100% A-OK with this and do it anyway speaks volumes.
What you say is mostly true but I think you are missing a slice of the emotional support animal crowd. For many the animal doesn't really make their lives easier, it makes their lives harder. It's more than enough to manage your own needs while flying, adding an animal is like adding a kid which just sucks in many ways. More needing support or gaming the system, these people just crave attention. People who bring fake service animals into bars do it because they get a lot of attention that they wouldn't get otherwise. It's a whole new world when you go somewhere that doesn't allow animals with an animal, you (or your animal) can become the center of attention). Most of us will never be the center of attention in many venues of our world unless we shit on the floor or bring an airhorn. A few of this crave this a great deal. I fucking hate people who bring fake service animals places, they deteriorate the societies good will towards people who need these animals to get through the day.