- Melvin Galan and Corey Ray moved on in 2021 before returning last April.
- They also took in two twin daughters, and Corey’s remaining four children are
- The four soon discover that all that glitters isn’t gold in the Gem State.
A conservative family who moved to Idaho from California in 2021 returned because they found it difficult to “fit in.”
Melvin Galang and Corey Ray returned to the US in April and announced it on TikTok after leaving a suburb a 30-minute drive from Los Angeles, with both citing “prejudiced attitudes” and gossip as the reason for their flight.
They took their two twin daughters with them on the journey, but left behind Corey’s four children from two other relationships.
The four quickly discovered that not all that glitters is gold in the Jewel State, where the state has earned a reputation in the past for being less than welcoming to people of color.
Galan and his daughters are Mexican, but they said racism didn’t play a role in their decision to leave the country, as Cory, 51, explained in a statement on TikTok.
Scroll down to watch the video:
“After three years in Idaho, we decided to move back home.
“We wanted to move to a conservative state and understand what it meant to blend in there,” the article continued.
“It means we have to be critical. We have to gossip about others. We have to make our kids forget how to say please and thank you. We have to badmouth the newcomers who moved here in search of a better life.”
“We left California for politics.[,] But I forgot that there are other kinds of politics to consider…’
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An accompanying video shows the family dancing outside their seven-bedroom home in Idaho Falls, where the crime rate is 26 percent lower than the national average.
In contrast, the City of Angels’ crime rate is a whopping 52.4 percent higher than the national average, with an average of about 370 crimes per day, just under a quarter of which are violent, according to FBI statistics.
California has struggled in recent years with rising homelessness and open drug abuse in its major cities.
The number of homeless people in California rose 6% last year to more than 180,000, according to federal data. Since 2013, the number has jumped 53%.
These figures help explain why Idaho, a landlocked state 450 miles inland from California, has emerged as the top migration destination for Californians during the pandemic.
This has been especially true in 2021 and 2022, when the surges seen in the first year of the crisis have in many cases persisted and worsened.
The family’s story resonated with many and drew attention to some of the lesser known challenges of living in a conservative state.
Despite boasting breathtaking scenery and a low cost of living, Idaho is an isolated state, with only a few close-knit communities scattered across its vast territory.
Idaho Falls is no exception, even though it is one of the state’s largest cities, with a population of approximately 65,600, according to the U.S. Census.
This pales in comparison to most cities, where the sample set largely represents long-time residents.
Additionally, towns like Coeur d’Alene, population 40,000, have earned a reputation as a haven for white supremacist groups, and Aryan Nationalist groups regularly hold nationally publicized parades in the area.
Anti-Semitic symbols have also appeared in other parts of the state, including the Treasure Valley, where events by the hate group known as the Proud Boys have been seen and the Confederate flag is frequently flown.
But the group also promotes policies that benefit only a small minority of Idaho residents, along with less visible groups like Conservative Of and Protect 43, which promote far-right candidates at all levels of government in the state.
‘[It is] “It’s a place with a history of hate,” The Washington Post wrote in a story last month about Republican extremism.
Still, people mocked the family for moving there in the first place, with one top commenter saying, “This video is so awkward and just attention-seeking. Conservative content creators are my least favorite people.”
“Until you’ve actually met a racist conservative anywhere outside of California, you’re all just trying to be conservative,” another person criticized.
Another added: “Wait, so they [have] They have lived under the illusion of inclusion, but Idaho has given them [are] Isn’t it white?
But some users were more tolerant of a family of four who chose to move, even though migrants like them are driving up home prices in the state.
One wrote: “I feel the same way!! I moved from California 11 years ago and still feel the same way.”
Another user added: “I want to move to California! I live in a very conservative state and I absolutely hate it.”
In 2021-2022, Idaho ranked among the top five destinations for Californians to relocate to, significantly influencing California’s overall demographic trends.
“They moved here because their values aligned with here,” Nicholas Kontos, chairman of the Bonneville County Republican Party in Idaho, told The Independent last month.
“The housing market here is booming,” said Brendan Kirkpatrick, also a California native who moved to Idaho.
“Even if I sold my house in Southern California a week ago and moved here, I wouldn’t have enough money.”
DailyMail.com has contacted the couple for comment.
