by Konnor Cruz

Back in 2015, I got out of the military after serving eight years and returned to my home state of California. I loved growing up here. The schools in my town were some of the best in the nation, and I lived in a safe and thriving community.

But everything changed when I came back after living overseas for several years. My paradigm shift toward liberty started in my high school years, but my time in the service taught me its true importance, especially during this time in history. I knew I wanted out of California as soon as I got back home.

Thankfully, I heard about the Free State Project while I was randomly listening to a Reason podcast one day at the gym. After doing my research and connecting with some Porcupines on Facebook, my wife and I decided that we needed to get out of California and move to New Hampshire.

Why Leave California?

There are several reasons why liberty-minded individuals should move out of California. First off, California ranks dead last when it comes to quality of life according to US News. Being back home, I noticed how bad it had become. Infrastructure was in total disrepair, traffic was a nightmare, and the cost of living went up exponentially. More than half of my income goes towards rent alone.

Furthermore, gun ownership isn’t treated like a right here. We have an archaic “safe” handgun and pistol roster, so no new pistol models have been sold here in several years. Hundreds of handguns are falling off the roster every year, and the choices for law-abiding Californians continues to shrink. The pistol roster, along with an “assault weapons” ban, upcoming background checks requirements for ammunition, and many other contradicting laws and statutes make California a very hostile place for lawful gun owners to live. Needless to say, California is a state that is not very friendly for principled, liberty-loving folk.

Why Choose New Hampshire?

There were many facts that caught my attention while doing research on the FSP and New Hampshire. When I did an Internet search for New Hampshire, the first images I saw were pictures of the beautiful autumn and winter landscapes. After living in Germany for several years, my wife and I yearned to live in a place with changing seasons. Believe it or not, this sunshine everyday weather in California gets old and boring.

Another thing I noticed was the tight-knit community of the FSP. I saw videos of move-in parties, PorcFest and other liberty-oriented gatherings. It was amazing to me that so many people were willing to help out strangers and welcome them to their new homes!

I also discovered that New Hampshire is #1 when it comes to freedom compared to the other 50 states according to the Cato Institute. With California ranking at the bottom of the barrel (#46), moving to New Hampshire is a no-brainer for someone like me. Also having no sales or income taxes with a business-friendly environment just adds icing on the cake.

Looking to the Future

I am excited for the future, and I am so glad that I found out about the Free State Project and New Hampshire. The lack of freedom that I have experienced in California has motivated me to fight and stand up for it even more. Life is too short to settle and live in a place that I can’t thrive in. My wife and I look forward to finally making the move to the gorgeous state of New Hampshire in 2019!