White Raven earring given out at The Rising event 2018

[Canadane]

They are giving earrings to celebrate FFXIV's anniversary, and this upsets you?

Your sub costs less, you have a nifty tattoo on your back, a unicorn horn and an exclusive chocobo.
And be honest, did you even wear those earrings?

The tattoo, horn, and chocobo were unrelated to the earrings. The earrings you had to actually complete a rather hard fight for.
The horn and tattoo was from a storyline event, and the chocobo and sub from the legacy campaign.
So out of all the items, they're giving away the one players had to work for. You didn't gain legacy status from doing this. Non-legacy status players could have earned these (albeit unlikely).
It was a great accomplishment to have down the fight, and their trophy for it has been effectively taken away. If everyone gets a first place trophy, the trophy given to the one who got first place isn't worth all that much.

Am I the only one confused at how taking something that looks exactly like a once exclusive item in every way and slapping "Replica" on it somehow makes it okay for the 1.0 players?

It's literally the same item. Does that mean it's okay for every other exclusive to have a "Replica"? Like contest exclusives and PvP exclusives? Would you guys be okay if I had the legacy tattoo but it was just a "replica"?

I mean, it's not an ideal world but if SE is dead set on re-using old items.... If the replica tattoo was patterned different, sure.
If I ever see someone wearing the White Ravens, and I have from time to time as glamour, I know that this player was something I'd equate to people earning the Ultimate Legend titles today.
If you've glamoured a replica White Raven, well... you don't get that respect. But hey you might look cool.

All the more reason it shouldn't be an issue. People were doing the content because it was there to do, out of enjoyment for playing the game per se. The reward was just a bonus, and thus it doesn't undercut anyone's motivations for doing the content to hand it out years in the future.

No see, I'm feeling the exact opposite way.
People fought hard for nothing but prestige. The fact they got anything at all to show their determination makes it more special.
It's like a war badge. People generally don't complete great military tasks for a ribbon or badge, but getting them doesn't make them any less special. Giving the same badges out to everyone would be a disgrace!