Billboards Urging Residents Not to Move to Texas Spark Controversy

Billboards are popping up in California urging residents not to move to Texas.

California Globe reported that the billboards went up in Los Angeles and San Francisco last week.

The outlet noted the billboards sparked controversy after invoking the shooting that killed 19 children and two adults at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

A hooded figure is shown on the billboard along with the words “Don’t mess with Texas” crossed out.

It continues, “The Texas Miracle Died in Uvalde. Don’t move to Texas.”

Theresa Soto, a political advertisement media specialist, told the Globe in a statement, “The ads were supposed to show how dangerous Texas is when it comes to gun related incidents and tragedies, but it has kind of backfired.”

She added, “Most people, as we’ve seen in social media and through opinions, are instead questioning why using a tragedy like that to not get people to move there. It would be like someone putting an ad up after 9/11 saying ‘Don’t move to New York. You could be caught in a terrorism explosion’ or after the Challenger and Columbia disasters saying ‘Don’t join NASA. You’ll burn to death’. It’s just incredibly bad.”

According to Soto, “A lot of Californians are agreeing. Even if they agree or disagree with the message of not moving to Texas due to gun violence, it’s crazy for many people to use an incident like this to push an agenda. If anything, the ad has actually joined many Californians and Texas together on agreeing that that is messed up.”

This comes less than a month after California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) ran ads in Texas newspapers criticizing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R).

The ads were first shared with NBC News and took aim at Abbott over guns and abortions.

“If Texas can ban abortion and endanger lives, California can ban deadly weapons of war and save lives. If Governor Abbott truly wants to protect the right to life, we urge him to follow California’s lead,” the ad states.