This Explains Why Many in the Mountain West Despise Californians

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They believe they’re doing us a favor!  Those are words I once heard from a friend here in Idaho as he explained his animosity toward Californians moving here.  Now, clearly, it’s a stereotype and it doesn’t describe everyone who came to Idaho to escape the Golden State Madness.  But as with many stereotypes, something created the image.

When I was in college I met a liberal from England.  He was full of himself and quite literally looked down his nose at everyone in the room.  Which wasn’t easy as he stood about five and a half inches tall.  I mentioned Texans in conversation and that really drove him over the edge.  He considered them all loud, stupid, and crude, however.  He admitted he hadn’t yet met anyone from the Lone Star State.  His experience was watching movies and television.

I’m reminded of a story I read many years ago in the Idaho Statesman.  A woman originally from California encountered two other women in a restaurant.  They were also California refugees.  One told her that she couldn’t find good Mexican food in Idaho, but she could in Los Angeles.  I suppose actual Mexicans would see food in Los Angeles as inauthentic.  My experience is we’re dealing with a lot of Karins and snowflakes!

I came across a story from Outdoor Life.  Neighboring Montana is having its own issues with the sun-bleached crowd.  They’re blocking river access to locals.  While I doubt this would ever end in violence, it shows you the newcomers are a lot like the short Englishman I met.  They look down on us.  They believe they’re doing us a favor.