I moved from a blue state to a red state and it changed my life

[FlatBootyJudy]

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — I used to say I’d never move to a red state. And then I did. And it’s changed my life for the better.

In July 2016, I moved from San Diego to Terre Haute when my husband received a job opportunity at a local university. At 41 years old — at midlife — I moved from the blue, liberal left coast bubble to a rural, Midwest, Rust Belt red state.

I was raised in California, where we like to believe diversity is applauded and opportunities abound. In many ways, California’s blue state bubble can be a very safe place to live if you subscribe to the popular liberal politics.

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Over and over, I was questioned about why I would ever leave the Golden State for a “flyover” red state. This phrase alone troubled me, and the implied perception that one flies over the Midwest just to get to their East or West coast home.

As I settled into life in the Midwest, I heard the same assumptive questions: “Did everyone you know vote for Donald Trump?" "Are there African-American, Jewish, Asian, LGBTQ people in Indiana?" "Do people make fun of you for listening to National Public Radio?”

Never does one ask about Indiana’s history as a blue state (Indiana cast its electoral votes blue for President Barack Obama in 2008). Never does one ask how the Indiana public schools provide many opportunities that have been cut from California’s public schools because of one budget crisis after another. Never does one ask about the low cost of living that is allowing us to pay off the mountain of debt we accrued in California. And never does one ask about my fellow community members, who are running successful businesses, enriching the city's arts and making a difference for the local environment.

As I got to know my new Midwest home, I realize how living in a bubble and subscribing to the Middle America stereotypes is truly damaging to this country.

While it is true there are far fewer African-Americans living in Terre Haute than San Diego, that doesn’t mean the city is a bastion of racism either. In fact, very few people know the Lost Creek community in Terre Haute was a stop on the Underground Railroad that helped escaped slaves enter the free state of Indiana before the Civil War. The diversity may not be as evident, but the city has a history of activism.

In Terre Haute, I witness a different kind of diversity: economic diversity. Here, 27% of residents are living below the poverty level (compared to 14% in all of Indiana). And 57% of the students attending Vigo County public schools in Terre Haute receive free or reduced price meals, meaning their families earn the equivalent or below 185% of the federal poverty level.

Southern California is diverse racially and religiously; it really is not with respect to class or working poor. This is especially the case in San Diego County, where it’s becoming more difficult for middle-class families to own a home or afford rent, with 41% of homeowners and 57% of renters spending 30% or more of income on housing, all while incomes stay stagnant, according to the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.

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I’ve come to realize that my votes and actions can have a deeper impact away from the sea of blue where I previously lived. During the 2016 presidential election, so many California voters who didn’t like candidates Hillary Clinton or Trump chose not to vote at all, stating their vote won’t matter since California will certainly cast its electoral votes for Clinton. Here in Vigo County, where the difference between the candidates was only 6,002 votes, my vote does have an impact.

So many people travel frequently to Bali, Europe and exotic places across the globe to be well-cultured. Yet, how many of these people travel within their own country to get to know the “other?” Why travel the globe, but not make an effort to get to know your Midwest neighbor?

We ask politicians to reach across the aisle and work with their constituents. But are we doing the same and reaching out to our neighbors? If that’s our expectation for our leaders, why aren’t we doing the same as citizens?

To be sure, there are plenty of individuals living in the Midwest that would also benefit from getting to know their coastal neighbors. The bubbles do not just exist on the East and West coasts. And I’m certainly not suggesting that life in California is terrible, or living in the Midwest is the answer for everyone.

It’s easy to condemn people we don’t know on social media. It’s harder to take the time to step out of our own bubbles and understand each other.

Living in Indiana, I now have an understanding of America that I did not before. I wish more people living outside the middle took the time to get to know the others living a few states away. I did, and I am a better person because of it.

Leah Singer is a freelance writer living in Terre Haute. This column first appeared in The Indianapolis Star. Follow her on Twitter: @Leahs_thoughts

You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @USATOpinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opini...umn/668263001/


I have a likewise experience, I moved from a northern state to a southern state, the people down here are so much more police and down to earth. It's nice to walk into a store, someone smiles at you and says hello. I feel safe in my community, this was something I didn't have growing up!

[Linkedblade]

Good old southern hospitality.

[SL1200]

Good old southern hospitality.

Terre Haute is far from the south. She's about 20 miles away from a blue state.

[Sorshen]

She encountered "economic diversity", aka way more people living in poverty. But they're friendly!
She thinks she's a missionary in backwater country.

[kail]

I've visited family in Georgia, I forgot the city's name but it was a nice place. Small town have their appeal.

[McFuu]

This really has nothing to do with political leanings and more to do with where you live. I've lived many places in the US, people from SoCal are vacuous assholes. It's not that they are outright mean, but everyone has an aire of rudeness and superiority. I'd probably prefer Baghdad over SoCal.

[Manabomb]

That's because Indiana has some good shit going for it.

But now let's take a look at Oklahoma, New Jersey and Illinois that are all shit holes because of Republican legislation.

Also I enjoy how she talks about California being uncaring about your personal wealth. Gee, I wonder why.

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I, too, recently moved from a blue state (MA) to a red state (KS). It's been different, and I'm not happy about it. People are more humble, the education bar isn't as high, and I do see far more overweight people, including more people that are living below the poverty line compared to MA. I don't want to say the people are more negative/ignorant, just that they're more set in their ways and refuse change, which can come off as ignorance.

I've yet to see any positives living here, but that doesn't mean it's because it's a red state. KS just sucks ass, imo.

Refusal to accept reality is a mental disorder, not ignorance.

[schwarzkopf]

I moved a few kilometres up the road and it totally changed my life.

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Refusal to accept reality is a mental disorder, not ignorance.

That would be totally incorrect, one can't accept reality unless one knows it.

What would be a mental disorder is accepting anything that you don't know.

[McFuu]

Really depends on where you're at in SoCal, it's a big region. You go to a small beach town and it's not much different than say, a small town in Idaho. But you go to like, Anaheim or any of the more affluent areas (most places in Orange County) and yeah, you run into a lot of people that are in a hurry or are arrogant. But, let's be honest, people in those areas are making a LOT of money generally, the cost of living in those places is insane. And I think the culture of rich smugness is pretty universal, that's something that's existed everywhere throughout history.

I don't see that attitude in NJ which is just as affluent. I agree that not everyone is a smug asshole in SoCal, I also find people from SanFran area to not really be assholes either. But the general population of SoCal is pretty ugly. I'm used to the hustle and bustle attitude. It's more of a, don't have time to be cordial attitude. That's the general NJ, NY attitude. Big personalities and always on the go.

This is in contrast to the mid West or southern US where everyone wants to know your life story when you buy gum. Which also annoys me, but I can't fault anyone for being friendly.

[Manabomb]

I moved a few kilometres up the road and it totally changed my life.

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That would be totally incorrect, one can't accept reality unless one knows it.

What would be a mental disorder is accepting anything that you don't know.

They have the internet like the rest of the country, reality is at their fingertips if they'd stop willingly choosing ignorance (which is the target definition of stupidity).

Oh, and just to remain OT with the state to state move/anecdotal evidence: I moved from a blue state to a blue state and kept my healthcare =).

[schwarzkopf]

They have the internet like the rest of the country, reality is at their fingertips if they'd stop willingly choosing ignorance

In a country like the US which provides almost no basic educational skills to vast numbers of its citizens - it isn't necessarily willing.
Without the skills to distinguish between reality and fiction on the internet - the average education deprived person just has no way of knowing what is real.

Once the government takes human education and health as being important - then maybe this can change.

[GennGreymane]

Had a feeling it would be a salty endus thread

[schwarzkopf]

How does the US compare to other nations with its % of people with college degrees? Do you know?

I don't think college degrees are important ... US is just fine on that respect, it has some of the highest quality education in the world.

The issue is actually the other end of the spectrum ... WHAT is taught at normal schools.

For example - a map of schools teaching Creationism in the US, noting that if you can teach creationism as fact - then the very ability of a kid to learn the difference between fact/science and make believe is damaged.

[Citizen T]

That's because Indiana has some good shit going for it.

But now let's take a look at Oklahoma, New Jersey and Illinois that are all shit holes because of Republican legislation.

Also I enjoy how she talks about California being uncaring about your personal wealth. Gee, I wonder why.

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Refusal to accept reality is a mental disorder, not ignorance.

I'm not sure of where you believe legislation comes from.
Oklahoma - Republican controlled legislatures from 2009 and Republican House since 2005.
New Jersey - Democrat controlled legislatures since 2004 and Democrat House since 2002.
Illinois - Democrat controlled legislatures since 2003 and Democrat House since 1997.

So while you can complain about Republican legislation in the Oklahoma, doing so for New Jersey or Illinois is kind of silly.

[Paranoid Android]

Haha! She says that her vote didn't count in CA. Glad she is for the in elections. Plus she admits her political bias, so she is likely to love a red state.

I understand people moving from urban area to a less metropolitan place and be totally happy. Also vice-versa.

[Kathandira]

[i]I have a likewise experience, I moved from a northern state to a southern state, the people down here are so much more polite and down to earth. It's nice to walk into a store, someone smiles at you and says hello. I feel safe in my community, this was something I didn't have growing up!

In NJ's suburbs, I have all of this. I walk in a store and I am greeted by name, with a smile. People in my area are a mixed bag, but most are down to earth. And I absolutely feel safe in neighborhood. We don't lock the doors, and I don't lock my car. Never been robbed in 26 years of living in the suburbs.

I get what you are saying, but I think people seem to believe that live is totally different on the coasts then it is in Mid US. While their are differences, it is mostly the same if you don't happen to live in a city.

[Citizen T]

I don't think college degrees are important ... US is just fine on that respect, it has some of the highest quality education in the world.

The issue is actually the other end of the spectrum ... WHAT is taught at normal schools.

For example - a map of schools teaching Creationism in the US:

Nice picture, what is the source of the data? Tennessee does not require the teaching of creationism - state law only allows it to be taught if the local school boards want to include it in the curriculum. Your picture just shows a dot for every school in the state.

Also, which of those schools teach creationism and evolution side by side? Without the data we don't know and I'd be willing to be it's most.

Most importantly, how does this affect the every day lives of these students once they graduate and become productive citizens? If they go on to college, I'm sure they will get a proper education to counter their prior teachings. If they become welders, plumbers, electricians, auto mechanics, etc how does it affect their everyday lives?

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I don't think college degrees are important ... US is just fine on that respect, it has some of the highest quality education in the world.

The issue is actually the other end of the spectrum ... WHAT is taught at normal schools.

For example - a map of schools teaching Creationism in the US, noting that if you can teach creationism as fact - then the very ability of a kid to learn the difference between fact/science and make believe is damaged.

WoW. I actually found the source of your picture. Not a single one of those dots represents a school that requires creationist teachings. Only that it's allowed.

It was awful disingenuous of you to leave out the legend that explained the dots.

Orange - private schools.
Green - state law allows teaching but isn't required.
Red - charter schools

[Heladys]

the people down here are so much more police and down to earth.

Yeah, they sure do love to police you down into the earth especially if you're colored.

[schwarzkopf]

Nice picture, what is the source of the data?

State public school information ... different sources by state. Private schools are not included.

Once correction though ... the Louisiana and Tennessee maps are those publicly funded schools allowed to teach Creationism, not those that do - those figures are unknown.

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I actually found the source of your picture. Not a single one of those dots represents a school that requires creationist teachings. Only that it's allowed.

Added that correction above.... however being allowed to teach Creationism to kids is still demonstrative of the main issue I was addressing, which was not how bad it is to teach creationism - but more how it makes it hard for kids to learn real from fiction.

[Citizen T]

State public school information ... different sources by state. Private schools are not included.

Once correction though ... the Louisiana and Tennessee maps are those publicly funded schools allowed to teach Creationism, not those that do - those figures are unknown.

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Added that correction above.... however being allowed to teach Creationism to kids is still demonstrative of the main issue I was addressing, which was not how bad it is to teach creationism - but more how it makes it hard for kids to learn real from fiction.

Common Core does that well enough on it's own, we surely don't need any extra confusion.