Why were okies hated?

Answer 1

I assume you are referring to the dust bowl, the depression, and the migration of many people from the middle of america to California. The term 'okie' is used loosely to refer to people from that area, however it should only be used for people from Oklahoma.

There was a depression ... Unemployment was extremely high. 25% of workers were unemployed. The dust bowl area was hit very hard. Even though some people were buying their farms, after years of harsh dry conditions with little or no crops, they could not pay their mortagages. Banks forclosed. These people started moving anywhere that they thought they could get a job. 1000 or more people would show up for 100 or fewer farming jobs. All these unem[ployed people and their families caused overcrowding and were not wanted in states like California. There were fewer jobs than the number of people moving into the area. This led to resentment (hatred) from the people already living in the state. These new people were competing for the same jobs that the people from California were.

When you and a whole nation are going through bad times, the last thing you need are more people to share that misery. Imagine having to open your house or apartment to 25 or 50 strangers, and keep the amount of food and water coming in the same. The okies became an easy target for resentment towards our government. Like most bad times it is necessary ( and nice ) to have a scapegoat we can lash out at. The stockmarket, big business and the government were too big and powerful to try and hold accountable. " Lets beat up a homeless bum instead of the US Army. "