IDAHO: There are no good ones

I was born and raised in Idaho. I remember a time when traffic was light, crime was minimal, and the land felt open and peaceful. We didn’t need to leave — we had everything we wanted right here.

But over the years, Idaho has changed dramatically. Traffic is constant, housing prices are out of reach, and open space is vanishing. Crime is creeping in. And while I know many factors are at play, one of the biggest shifts has come from the influx of people moving here — especially from California.

This isn’t about politics. It’s about tolerance. When people from more crowded, chaotic places move here, they often say things like, “You should see it where I came from,” or “I’m one of the good ones.” But to me, there are no “good” ones when the issue is tolerance. Your normal was to tolerate more traffic, more noise, more crime, and more crowding. But for those of us who didn’t grow up with that, it’s a painful loss. If we continue this growth, North Idaho will become a slightly less terrible version of what you left. 

I don’t hate newcomers. I understand why people want to live here. But I’m asking — please see what’s being lost through our eyes. If you moved to Idaho because it was different, then help us keep it that way. Don’t bring your tolerance for problems and tell us it’s still “better than where you were.”

Idaho was special. It still is — but only if we work to protect what made it that way.

JENNIFER EASTMAN 

Idaho lifer, raised in Rathdrum