Would you consider yourself Californian first and American second? (home, living)

[Mini-apple-less]

It seems like Californians have immense state pride in general, trumping both pride for their city/locality and pride for their country. There is a general consensus among California's population that their state is superior to all others and totally worth the high cost of living, due to the weather, the ocean, the mountains, the always sunny and warm/hot weather, Hollywood etc.

Do you think you would consider yourself a Californian first and an American second?

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

I think you need to add a third option there. I'm both equally. Kind of like asking me if I'm a woman or a mother first. I'm both at once.

And I don't believe my state is superior. It's just superior for me. California is not for everyone. But, I wouldn't live anywhere else ever again.

[saibot]

American first. I'm a native Californian and have no great desire to go live somewhere else, but "immense state pride" is something of an exaggeration.

In my experience, Californians are very happy about their weather when it's mild and the rest of the country is broiling or freezing. And, frankly, that is a lot of the time. But we know the weather isn't perfect; just ask a few natives about the drought. Or talk to us in October when it's still 90F and bone dry with a wildfire raging, and you will get different responses. We complain a lot about the high cost of living too. But, California is home and obviously worth it to us.

[SoCalbound12]

I'm not a native Californian and have lived in California for about 2 years of my life (about 7 of which came a few years ago in the military) and I love it. I complain about the cost of living, the traffic, and claustrophobic feeling I get in large, overcrowded places; however, I don't plan on moving anytime soon.

I do think in many aspects California is superior to the rest of the country, but in some ways it's not. It's not for everyone, and honestly I'm not sure if it's for me all the time either, but it's home now. California elicits strong emotions in people, and I love it and hate it immensely. There's a certain romanticism about California, a mystique that few other places have. People 1000s of miles away have strongly formed opinions about California that they don't have about other states like Nebraska, Wyoming, North Dakota, etc.

As for the question posed by the OP, I guess I would consider myself a Californian first. The reason being is my conception of American federalism in which in theory I believe the states should be sovereign with a limited federal government.

[loveautumn]

Actually, I consider myself a Christian first, then an American, then a Californian.

[cb73]

I was born and raised in California and this is the first I've heard of "California state pride." Pride in what? Everyone I know that lives here came from some other state or country anyway.

[LuvSouthOC]

American first but very proud to be a Californian.

[Mini-apple-less]

Originally Posted by cb73

I was born and raised in California and this is the first I've heard of "California state pride." Pride in what? Everyone I know that lives here came from some other state or country anyway.

Actually about 54% of Californians were born in-state, probably higher than that for people born after 1980 too.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by cb73

I was born and raised in California and this is the first I've heard of "California state pride." Pride in what? Everyone I know that lives here came from some other state or country anyway.

Pride because many think CA should set the example for everyone else. An ego thing as most came from somewhere else and well who made those places what they are?

[Tulemutt]

I am a logician. Everything else follows accordingly. And jingoism not at all, state or national.