Our nation is in the midst of a great battle.
Not one fought in a military zone, or in deliberated in a courtroom. But one borne out through bitter public discord.
That battle is over the future of our culture.
There are some who aim to protect the status quo at all costs. They see an influx of outsiders and an onset of changing demographics as a threat to culture as they know it.
There are some who aim to promote change. They see that same influx of outsiders and onset of changing demographics as an opportunity to further evolve our culture.
And then there are some who are in the middle. They welcome the influx of outsiders and onset of changing demographics, so long as some existing norms are respected.
I belong to that last group.
I live just outside of Dallas. Like many regions across the Sunbelt, the greater Dallas area —often called the Metroplex — is blessed with mild weather, ample land and an affordable cost of living.
These factors — along with Dallas’ central location — have attracted many companies, who have relocated to the region. With those companies have come many new jobs. And with those new jobs come an influx of new residents.
This has been a boon for the area. The influx of people and jobs have led to new housing, schools, restaurants, entertainment venues and infrastructure. The economy has grown accordingly, and opportunity abounds.
Yet, all of that change has come with a cost.
Many of the new residents feeding Dallas’ burgeoning economy have relocated from California. But while their address has changed, their cultural affiliation has not. This has led to a growing bubble of Californianism, deep in the heart of Texas.
The problem with this development is that Texans, as you might have heard, are a proud bunch. We have a rich culture steeped in heritage and tradition. And we don’t take it well when that culture is treated like a doormat.
So as more people flood in from the shores of the Pacific and redefine North Texas as California East, the tension builds. Don’t California My Texas stickers start appearing on rear windows of pickup trucks. Don’t Cali My Dallas becomes a rallying cry.
This is not to say that Dallas is entirely insular. I myself moved to the area from West Texas several years ago, and I’m not a Native Texan. Even so, I have been treated with nothing but kindness during my time in North Texas. And there are many others like me across the area who are not met with derisive car stickers.
So, what’s the difference? Unlike the recent swath of California transplants, I took heed of the existing culture in Dallas, and incorporated it into my lifestyle. I didn’t willingly stand apart.
This wouldn’t seem to be difficult. After all, I did come to Dallas directly from elsewhere in the Lone Star State. But, West Texas has a different culture than North Texas — out west it’s more western and rural. It took me a bit to learn the ropes in the Metroplex, but I kept a spirit of adaptability. Today, Dallas is as much as part of me as I am part of it.
It’s my hope that the wave of Californians in the area follow a similar path. That they respect the cultural norms and traditions found here in Texas. And that they work to incorporate that culture into their own, instead of remaining at odds with it.
On a broader scale, I hope that people who relocate to new areas across the country — regardless of their origin — follow this strategy. That they take heed of the culture that’s already in place, and work to incorporate with their own.
I also hope that those who already are in these communities are as welcoming to new residents who make this effort as my neighbors here have been to me.
When both new and existing residents work to bridge the gap, it can help alleviate cultural tension. It can also forge stronger community ties. Everybody wins.
Let’s take the middle ground. And end the squabbling once and for all.