A conservative family who moved from California to Idaho in 2021 has returned due to difficulties “adjusting.”
Melvin Galang and Coree Ray made the trip back to the blue state last April, leading Tik Tok to make the announcement. Both cited “critical attitudes” and gossip as reasons for fleeing, after leaving a suburb half an hour’s drive from Los Angeles.
They took their twin daughters for a walk, leaving Coree’s four other children from two other relationships behind.
The four quickly discovered that all that glitters is not gold in the Gem State, as Iowa has in the past earned a reputation for not being the most welcoming to people of color.
Galang and her daughters are Mexican, but they did not say that racism influenced their decision to leave. A statement to the TikTok from Coree, 51, explained why.
Scroll down to watch the video:
Melvin Galang and Coree Ray made the return trip last April and took to TikTok to make the announcement.
They cited “critical attitudes” and gossip as reasons for fleeing, after leaving a suburb half an hour’s drive from Los Angeles. They also took their twin daughters.
‘We decided that after three years in Idaho, we would return home.
“We wanted to move to a conservative state, but we realized what it would mean to fit in,” he continued.
‘It would mean we would have to be critical. We would need to gossip about others. Making our children forget how to say please and thank you. He talks bad about new people who move here in search of a better life.
‘We left California for politics (,) but we forgot that there are other types of politics to consider…’
An accompanying video showed the family dancing outside their seven-bedroom home in Idaho Falls, which has a crime rate 26 percent lower than the national average.
In contrast, Angel City has a crime rate above the national average by a staggering 52.4 percent, averaging about 370 crimes daily, just under a quarter of them violent, according to FBI statistics.
The Golden State has been battling issues of increasing homelessness and open drug abuse in recent years in its major cities.
Homelessness rose 6 percent to more than 180,000 people in California last year, federal data shows. Since 2013, the numbers have skyrocketed by 53 percent.
These numbers help explain why landlocked Idaho, 450 miles from the Golden State, emerged as a top relocation option for Californians during the pandemic.
This was especially true between 2021 and 2022, when the spikes seen during the first year of the crisis persisted and worsened in many cases.
In the past, Iowa has earned a reputation for not being the most welcoming place for people of color, and Galang and her children are Mexican.
Despite being home to stunning scenery and a low cost of living, Idaho is isolated and home to several close-knit communities. Idaho Falls, seen here, is no different, with a population of just 65,600. It has a crime rate 26 percent lower than the national average.
Therefore, the family’s story resonated with many, drawing attention to some of the lesser-known challenges that come with living in a conservative state.
Despite being home to stunning scenery and a low cost of living, Idaho is isolated and home to several close-knit communities scattered across the sprawling state.
Idaho Falls, despite being one of the largest cities in the state, is no different, with a population of around 65,600 according to the United States Census.
That pales in comparison to most cities, since much of that sample represents long-time residents.
Additionally, cities such as Coeur d’Alene, which has a population of 40,000, have earned a reputation as a haven for white supremacist groups, and the Aryan Nations group regularly hosts nationally publicized parades in the area.
Multiple anti-Semitic symbols have appeared in other parts of the state, including the Treasure Valley, where the hate group known as the Proud Boys has been seen at events and where Confederate flags are commonly flown.
Meanwhile, the group is pushing an agenda that benefits very few Idahoans, while other under-the-radar groups, like Conservative Of and Protect43, are also pushing far-right candidates at all levels of state government.
“(It’s) a place with a history of hate,” the Washington Post recently wrote last month, in an article focused on Republican extremism.
Homelessness increased 6 percent to more than 180,000 people in California last year, federal data shows
In contrast, Angel City has a crime rate above the national average by a staggering 52.4 percent, averaging about 370 crimes daily, just under a quarter of them violent, according to FBI statistics.
Still, people proceeded to mock the family for moving there, with one prominent commenter commenting, “The video was so embarrassing and eye-catching.” Conservative content creators are my least favorite.’
Another criticized: “Y’all want to be conservative so bad until you run into racist conservatives who aren’t in California.”
Someone else added: ‘Wait, so they’ve been living under the illusion of inclusion, and then Idaho reminded them that they’re not white?’
However, some users were kinder to the family of four in deciding to move, even though transplants like them drove up home prices in the state.
One of those people wrote: ‘I’m so sorry about this!! I moved from Cali 11 years ago and I’m still going through this.’
Another added: ‘I wish I could move to California! I live in a very conservative state and I absolutely hate it.
Between 2021 and 2022, Idaho ranked among the top five destinations for Californians moving, significantly impacting overall California population trends.
“They moved here because their values match here,” Nicholas Contos, chairman of Idaho’s Bonneville County Republican Party, told The Independent last month.
Fellow Californian-turned-Idahoan Brendan Kirkpatrick said, “The housing market is through the roof up here.”
“I couldn’t afford it if I left a week ago to sell my house in Southern California and move here.”
DailyMail.com has contacted the couple for comment.