It’s 2023. Is It Time For Texas To Get Over Hating On California?

I get it. Texans don't want anyone to "California" their Texas, as if California could somehow be an action verb. Not only is this attitude passé at this point, but it was also misguided and erroneous to begin with.

The main reason? The people who moved to Texas from California in droves weren't the extreme liberals everyone was peeing their boots over. They were families with conservative values and older folks who actually skewed conservative. If they landed in liberal Austin, they probably made our state redder, if they changed anything at all. Remember what these folks were fleeing: high real estate costs and a high cost of living. And for some wealthy folks, a state income tax.

If you're going to tell me not to California my Texas, I'm going to look you dead in the eye and ask, "Have you even been there?" I am a native Texan with the sense God gave a goat and I will tell you in all honesty that California has its issues, but it's still a place that is beautiful, even magical. If you've ever actually been to California, you probably remember at least one aspect of it fondly- whether it's the electricity of Hollywood or the smell of the saltwater on the breeze. If I lived there, I wouldn't leave it lightly.

California is not the post-apocalyptic hell that some pundits would have you believe it is. Yes, there is a homeless crisis, but that's true for other states as well. Are you making flags that say "Don't Colorado My Texas"? Or are you being disingenuous?

"But California is so crime-ridden!" Really, it's pretty much on par with Texas.

In 2020, the rate of violent crime per 100,000 people was 442 in California and around 447 in Texas. However, violent crime rates tend to fluctuate yearly and for some years during the last decade, the two states overtook one another.

Should we have our hackles up about folks buying up real estate? Sure, but know that a huge part of the problem was that many single-family homes were snatched up by investors, not Californians.

I won't argue with you about traffic, it stinks but I will say a lot of those license plates say Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana. You can Louisiana my Texas as much as you want, their food is amazing.

All this may be moot anyway, as it appears that interest in moving to Texas is slamming to a halt. I think people realized how ungodly hot it gets here, but our jerky attitude might have helped.

I love Texas very much. I consider myself as native a critter as a horny toad. I wear cowboy boots to job interviews and I drink Lone Star at weddings. What I'm saying is this: we are better than being haters. Haters are insecure, pathetic, and embarrassing. Be your authentic Texas self, and anyone who moves here will like it or not, it is not our concern.