Shame and guilt are rich human emotions that serve important functions at both the individual and relationship levels. On the one hands, as moral emotions, shame, and guilt are among our most private, intimate experiences. In the face of transgression or error, the self turns toward the self—evaluating and rendering judgment. Thus, the experience of shame or guilt can guide our behavior and influence who we ae in our own eyes. On the other hand, shame and guilt are inextricably linked to the self in relationships with others. These emotions develop from our relationships. Ans throughout the lifespan, these emotions exert a profound and continued influence on our behavior in interpersonal contexts. Shame and guilt are thus both “self-conscious” and “moral” emotions: self-conscious in that they involve the self evaluating the self, and moral in that they presumably play a key role in fostering moral behavior. However, sometimes it may seem easier to feel hopeless about yourself than to feel the love the Savior has for you—but as Nephi knew, it does not have to be that way. When you do something wrong, you might have thoughts cross your mind that you are a failure. That you should have known better. That you are not worth loving. Deep down, you know that none of those things are true. You have learned about your worthy as a son or daughter of God, and you know that repentance is real and possible. #RandolphHarris 1 of 30
However, still after you have sinned or made a mistake, you might be tempted to punish yourself more than anyone else would with thoughts of guilt and shame. Feelings of shame may appear in our awareness as vague uneasiness, as embarrassment, or, more specifically as feelings of guilt. This transformation is of particular importance because it allows for a rather quick understanding of certain guilt-feelings. If, for instance, a person full of pervasive unconscious pretenses is guilty perturbed by a comparatively harmless and inconsequential lie, we may safely assume that he is more concerned with appearing than with being honest; and that his pride is hurt by not having been able to maintain the fiction of ultimate and absolute veracity. Or If an egocentric person feels guilty about some inconsiderateness, we have to ask whether this guilt feeling is not shame about having besmirched the halo of goodness rather than an honest regret for not having been as sensitive to others as he would like to be. Furthermore, it may be that none of these reactions, whether direct or transformed, is consciously felt; we may merely be aware of our reactions to these reactions. Prominent among such “secondary” reactions are rage and fear. That any hurt to our pride may provoke vindictive hostility is well known. It goes all the way from dislike to hate, from irritability to anger to a blind murderous rage. #RandolphHarris 2 of 30
Sometimes the connection between rage and pride is easily enough established—for the observer. For instance, a person is enraged against his boss who he feels has treated him cavalierly, or against a taxi driver who has cheated him—incidents which, at most, would account for annoyance. The person himself would only be aware of a justified anger at the bad behavior of others. The observer, let us say the analyst, would see that his pride was hurt by incidents, that he felt humiliated and then reacted with rage. The patient may accept this interpretation as most likely accounting for the excessive reaction, or he may insist that his reaction was not excessive at all and that his anger was a warranted reaction to the wickedness or stupidity of others. While of course not all irrational hostility is due to hurt pride, it does play a greater part than is generally assumed. The analyst always should be alert to this possibility, particularly concerning the patient’s reaction to him, to interpretations, and to the whole analytic situation. If the hostility has ingredients of degradation, contempt, or intent to humiliate, the connection with hurt pride is more easily discernible. What operates here is the straight law of retaliation. The patient, without knowing it, has felt humiliated and returns in kind. After such incidents it is sheer waste of time to talk about the patient’s hostility. The analyst must go straight to the point by raising a question as to what has registered in the patient’s mind as humiliation. #RandolphHarris 3 of 30
Sometimes impulses to humiliate the analyst, or thoughts about it unaccompanied by any effect, appear right at the beginning of the analysis, before the analyst has touched any sore spot. In this case, it is likely that the patient feels unconsciously humiliated by the very fact of being analyzed, and it is the analyst’s job to bring this connection into clear focus. Naturally, what happens is analysis also happens outside. And, if we thought more often of the possibility that offensive behavior may stem from hurt pride, we would save ourselves many painful or even heartbreaking troubles. Thus, when a friend or relative behaves in an obnoxious fashion after have liberally helped him, we should not be upset over this ingratitude but consider how badly his pride may have been hurt by accepting help. And, according to circumstances, we might either talk to him about it or try ourselves to help him in a way that saves his face. Likewise, in the case of a generally contemptuous attitude toward people, it is not enough to resent a person’s arrogance; we must also regard him as someone who goes through life with a raw skin because of being pervasively vulnerable through his pride. If we feel we have offended our own pride, what is less well known is that the same hostility, hate, or contempt may be directed against ourselves. Violent self-reproaches are no the only form this rage at self may assume. Vindictive self-hatred has so many far-reaching implications. #RandolphHarris 4 of 30
Looking more closely at the concept of the healthy individual as one who lives primarily in the present, we see that living fully in the moment requires no concern for external support or sustenance. To say, “I am adequate now” rather than “I was adequate once” or “I will be adequate again” is self-validating and self-justifying. Just being in the moment is sufficient and is an end. Being has its own reward—a feeling of trust in one’s self-support. Experiencing self-support, a by-product of living in the present, is being “inner-directed” as opposed to “other-directed.” Maslow said that a person experiencing time in this way is one living in a state of “creative innocence.” In the child, there is a total unquestioning acceptance of whatever happens. Since there is also very little memory, very little leaning on the past, there is little tendency in the child to bring the past into the present or into the future. The consequence is that the child is totally without past or future. If one expects nothing, if one has no anticipations or apprehensions, if in a certain sense there is no future, because the child is moving totally “here—now,” there can be no surprise, no disappointment. One thing is as likely as another to happen. This is “perfect waiting” and spectatorship without any demands that one thing happen rather than another. There is no prognosis. And no prediction means no worry, no anxiety, no apprehension, or foreboding. #RandolphHarris 5 of 30
This is all related to the conception of the creative personality as one who is totally here—now, one who lives without future or past. Another way of saying this is: “The creative person is an innocent.” An innocent could be defined as a grown person who can still perceive, or think or react like a child. It is this innocence that is recovered in the “second naivete, or perhaps the “second innocence” of the wise old man who has managed to recover the ability to be childlike. The manipulators may be past-oriented and using the past as an excuse for failure. They may be future-oriented and using the future for promises that never materialize. Or they may be present-oriented and using the present to talk about everything they are doing but getting none of it done. In any event, they spend most of their time justifying and defending themselves: If they are marginalized manipulators, they are criers or blamers, asking for love despite bad luck. If they are in positions of power and authority, they con us into pseudo-support and justification, in that the deception of another person gives them a feeling of power. If they were deeply honest, they would have to admit that their ventures are empty and unfulfilling. Actualizers, on the other hand (as always), are doers, be-ers. They express feelings and talents to cope with life in the present. #RandolphHarris 6 of 30
Actualizers feel good about themselves because their existence is filled with ongoing activity. They experience self-support and self-expression in living life in the here and now. They move freely into the past for memories and into the future for goals, but remember that these, too, are acts of the present from which self-support comes. For actualizers, life is an exciting process of trusting themselves in the here and now. The self-concept itself is an abstraction. Like the “mind,” it has no special location and is not comprised of any particular organ. (Children asked to locate their selves usually point either to their chest or their forehead.) The self-concept may be conveniently thought of as being divided into several sub-selves or “roles.” Thus, you may find included in your self-concept your role as a student, as an athlete, as a first child of the family, as a dancer, as a lover, as a spouse, as a parent, as a teacher, or as a merchant. While persons differ widely in their most important sub-self or role, for most people their way of earning a living becomes a major role. Thus, in one of Bugental’s earliest self-concept tests, the WAY (Who Are You?), many people replied in terms of their job. In the opening lines to Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Flavius, walking the streets of Rome, is dismayed to find the populace walking about in their best clothes and chides a workman: “What, know you not…you ought not walk upon a laboring day without the sign of your profession?” #RandolphHarris 7 of 30
Whether deeds or rules should be the basis of a moral code is a thorny theological issue. Certain theologically oriented writers have rightly reacted against the old moral rigidity and have rejected automatic condemnation of fallible men and women for behavior of pleasures of the flesh which are disapproved of by the church. However, have they presently overreached themselves and therefore inadvertently undermined the concept of voluntary commitment to pleasures of the flesh? Is it possible that they have lost sight of a human need for the security of reasonable limits in relationships that involve pleasures of the flesh, a need that exists independently of religious doctrine? Extramarital pleasures of the flesh is a case in point, and one pronouncement on the subject can be singled out both because it summarizes the issues and because it has been commended for its wisdom by a Catholic priest, Robert T. Francoeur. It originally appeared in 1968 in Honest Sex, a book with the subtitle, “A Revolutionary Sex Ethic by and for Concerned Christians,” written by a husband and wife, Rustum and Della Roy. They are described as “active Christian lay people involved in church, community and educational organizations and concerned with mental health.” The sentences quoted below are referred to with unequivocal approval by Dr. Francoeur in his book, Eve’s New Rib. #RandolphHarris 8 of 30
The Royas write: “We find that sexual relations with persons other than a spouse are becoming more common. When other criteria of appropriateness are fulfilled, such relations do not necessarily destroy or hurt a marriage, nor do they inflict an unbearable hurt on the partner not involved. Indeed, when human need is paramount, such relationships can serve as the vehicle of faithfulness to God.” These are not three sentences taken out of context; they express the core of a particular philosophy, which is why they were chosen by Dr. Francoeur as a summation of his own beliefs. Their meaning, however, is something less than precise. For example, what is the purpose in noting that extramarital pleasures of the flesh are “becoming more common”? Is the frequency with which something happens a reliable indication of its value? Besides, by what objective measure have the Roys been able to confirm as a fact that such behavior is more common? Compared to when? Who sets the “criteria for appropriateness” by which extramarital intercourse is to be judged, the partner who participates or the partner who does not—or do they decide together, and if so, who has the final decision? Whose “human need” is being considered—that of the involved partner, the noninvolved partner or the third party? Moreover, who is to define these needs, sexual or otherwise, and then weigh them to determine which deserved to be labeled “paramount”? #RandolphHarris 9 of 30
Such a fantasy conjures up an image of passionless creatures who expect that their rational minds, like computers that have been fed all the available data, can be trusted to make the right decision, uninfluenced by such a natural emotion, for example, as physical desire. To encourage such a belief is to encourage the dangerous and self-serving malady of megalomania. The Roys verge on doing this with their assurance that having extramarital relationships may “serve as the vehicle of faithfulness to God.” However, since they are aware that men and women caught in sexual triangles are imperfect and vulnerable human beings, they must acknowledge that there are risks. They do so, however, in evasive terms. Extramarital pleasures of the flesh, they say, does not “necessarily” harm or destroy a marriage, nor does it inflict “an unbearable hurt” on the uninvolved partner. Not necessarily—but possibly? Even probably? And who decides whether this real risk of harming or destroying the marriage is worth taking—the partner who will enjoy having an affair in which the act of intercourse is conceptualized as an act of Christian charity? Or the involved partner, who has little, if anything to gain, and a lot to lose? As for being hurt, what does “unbearable” mean? Must the hurt partner commit suicide to prove that it was beyond endurance? Or suffer an emotional collapse? Or does asking for a divorce suffice to make the point? #RandolphHarris 10 of 30
It is one thing to repudiate the idea that every instance of extramarital pleasures of the flesh is an anathema to God; it is something else to advance the idea that in certain cases, extramarital pleasures of the flesh is a way of being faithful to God. Such a suggestion, coming from authorities who are concerned with the ethics of pleasures of the flesh, is doubly dangerous. Not only does it lend itself to the most seductive of rationalizations but it undermines the value of pleasures of the flesh commitment by subordinating the exclusive physical bond between husband and wife to the apparent needs of a third person. Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children. When a man and woman are married in the temple, their family can be together forever. This is a common goal of Latter-day Saints. Life’s greatest joys are found in the family. Strong family relationships require effort, but such effort brings great happiness in this life and throughout eternity. In our Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness, a man and a woman can be sealed to one another for a time and all eternity. If they are true to their covenants, those who are sealed in the temple have the assurance that their relationship will continue forever. They know that nothing, not even death, can permanently separate them. The covenant of eternal marriage is necessary for exaltation. #RandolphHarris 11 of 30
After receiving the sealing ordinance and making sacred covenants in the temple, a couple must continue in faithfulness to receive the blessings of eternal marriage and exaltation. The Lord said: “If a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and if [they] abide in my covenant, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world.” Those who are married should consider their union as their most cherished earthly relationship. A spouse is the only person other than the Lord whom we have been commanded to love with all our heart. Marriage, in its truest sense, is a partnership of equals, with neither person exercising dominion over the other but with each encouraging, comforting, and helping the other. Because marriage is such an important relationship in life, it needs and deserves time over less important commitments. Couples can strengthen their marriage as they take time to talk together and listen to one another, be thoughtful and respectful, and express tender feelings and affection often. #RandolphHarris 12 of 30
Cynicism, the deification of history and of matter, individual terror, and State crime, these are the inordinate consequences that will now spring, armed to the teeth, from the equivocal conception of a world that entrusts to history alone the task of producing both values and truth. If nothing can be clearly understood before truth has been brought to light, at the end of time, then every action is arbitrary, and force will finally rule supreme. “If reality is inconceivable,” Hegal exclaims, “then we must contrive inconceivable concepts.” A concept that cannot be conceived must, perforce, like error, be contrived. However, to be accepted it cannot rely on the persuasion innate in order and truth, but must finally be imposed. Hegel’s attitude consists of saying: “This is truth, which appears to us, however, to be error, but which is true precisely because it happens to be error. As for proof, it is not I, but history, at its conclusion, that will furnish it.” Such pretensions can only entail two attitudes: either the suspension of all affirmation until the production of proof, or the affirmation of everything, in history, which seems dedicated to success—force in particular. And both attitudes imply nihilism. Moreover, of we overlook the fact that unfortunately it derived a large part of its inspiration from a philosophy of conformity and opportunism, it is impossible to understand twenty-first century revolution. True rebellion is not jeopardized on account of the distortion of these ideas. #RandolphHarris 13 of 30
People with small mentalities are constitutionally incapable of perceiving any other truth besides the new one which they happen to have embraced now, dazzled by its blaze as they are. People can see every half-truth and every quarter-truth, but they can not see the obvious truth. This is because they are so sated with self-interest and prejudice. The aspirant, too, may be crammed full of prejudice and have enough self-interest to fill a bank but—he knows it; he is trying to disentangle it, whereas they go on in blissful ignorance and imagine they are envisaging facts when they are only pampering to prejudice. It is a common habit to belittle ideas and practices simply because they are unknown or less familiar, but it is not a wise habit. When he finds that the truth is not what he had always supposed it to be, he is either shamed and humiliated or surprised and exhilarated. It is possible to know some things; only to believe other things: while the residue may be hoped for—nothing more. It is not an uncommon experience to observe how some persons project their own fancies on outer happenings, meetings, and persons—in other words, bringing their own thoughts and imaginations into real events and confusing the two. That latest knowledge is not the last nor the latest governmental form the final and best. #RandolphHarris 14 of 30
The conventional mentality thinks and therefore speaks in clichés. Its capacity for independent activity does not exist. It is a common enough mistake among the thoughtless to confound the abstruse with the absurd. This is surely something that should appeal to a reasonable and reflective person. That is why few will be found at first to listen to it, for few take the time to reflect; most are led by the nose since they are led by prejudice. There are so many men who believe that they know very well where they stand, but who believe wrongly. If challenged, the mass mind, with its ignorance and from the varied pressures, suggestions, traditions, or authorities imposed on it from outside and opposed by resistances or desires from inside, is at first thrown into greater confusion. His mind acknowledges no criterion of truth, no convention of goodness, no taste in beauty merely because convention tradition or society supports it. He must examine it first; he has also to find out what other minds in olden and medieval as well as modern times, in widely differing Eastern lands as well as Occidental ones, thought of these matters; finally, he had to consult his own reason, and above all, his own intuition and compare all these views quite impartially and without selfish interest. If they are to yield proper solutions, we may apply human reason, not supernatural “revelation,” to all our problems. #RandolphHarris 15 of 30
Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr. reinforced the importance of personal accountability as he tells a story from his career. He was thrown out of a game in the first inning for arguing with an umpire. He later found out that a fan had brought his young son all the way to Baltimore to see his favorite baseball player, but never saw him take one swing. The boy was heartbroken, and the press ran with the story. Cal felt horrible. He began evaluating what was important to him and where he needed to improve. He settled in about personal accountability. A short time later, he was playing a game in Toronto. As he took the field in pregame warm-ups, he noticed the sod where he played shortstop was raised up to a hump. Apparently, the irrigation or drainage system had leaked the night before and froze under the turf. His first thought was to complain to the umpires and groundskeepers. He could have chosen to ask them to delay the game to fix the field or he could have used it as an excuse if he had a bad game. Instead, he chose to suck it up and play a couple feet in from his normal spot, making the most of it. He decided he was not going to allow outside circumstances to affect his performance. He played that game without a complaint and went on to continue playing every game for the record of most consecutive games played in this history of professional baseball. #RandolphHarris 16 of 30
People in leadership position have even a greater need for accountability. How many times have you noted a popular politician, movie star, church leader, or public safety official plummet in disgrace as the result of a scandal? Many sources suggest that as people work their way higher in an organization, the hard work and accountability to get there has been replaced by an entitlement once they arrive. In his book, Why Great Men Fall, author Wayde Goodall theorizes that the failure of leaders is not necessarily one big misstep, but rather a series of temptations that eventually are reasoned as privilege. In his farewell speech, Senator John Ensign apologized for his actions that came easily with “more power and prestige.” Many leaders that ignore personal accountability when they are successful make poor moral decisions, yet carry on with their business as though nothing happened. Eventually, the behavior catches up, and the leader is forced to give up everything that was earned. As a result, emergency workers must realize that although personal accountability is a tough skill to master, promotions will only make it tougher to maintain. A fire fighter with the Award-winning Sacramento Fire Department, who works his or her way up through the ranks to a chief position will find it might be easier to come in late, take a longer lunch, or leave a little earlier at the end of the day. Failing to meet minimum training requirements might be rationalized as less relevant than completing administrative duties. Unfortunately, this example also can carry over to accountability safety. #RandolphHarris 17 of 30
Many agencies can provide pictures of emergency scenes where an officer is not wearing proper personal protective equipment (PPE). Maybe they reasoned that they were only entering the hazard zone to “take a look,” or that they were not “actively involved” in the incident so their risks were lower. All members must learn ways to improve personal accountability for health and safety regardless of rank. Improving personal accountability is key to eliminating blame and ultimately improving safety. There are several ways to help achieve accountability, including making the decision to be accountable, becoming an active member of your department, speaking up, taking responsibility for the outcome of calls, and taking responsibility for safety. As you have seen, professionals require intensive education in a particular service or skill that most members of society do not have. Along with all of this expertise are some distinct responsibilities. As a professional with the award-winning Sacramento Fire Department, you must be aware of them. Professionals offer a service that is vital to society. This service is performed for a person or group of people commonly referred to as clients. Professional expertise is so complex that laymen are usually not capable of understanding what the professional does or how he or she does it. Therefore, the professional has exclusive possession of a certain skill set, and the client agrees to accept the professional’s application of those skills. This relationship creates certain expectations. Just as the professional expects the client to place affairs completely within his or her hands, the client expects the professional to observe certain ethical standards of behavior. #RandolphHarris 18 of 30
Society expects the professionals with the award-winning Sacramento Fire Department to fulfill three key obligations: Not exceed professional competence (no “Custer’s Last Stands”), act only in the nation’s best interest, maintain integrity with the American people. Clearly, the professional has most of the leverage in this relationship, at least until proven otherwise, and he or she is accepted as the unquestioned authority. Most people enter a profession because of an abiding desire to serve society and their fellow man. Many endure great personal hardship to meet the standards of their “calling.” Consider the medical student who graduates with hefty student loans after spending many years as a full-time student—or your own sacrifices to attend college and become a professional with the Sacramento Fire Department. Most professional also desire to maintain their ability to control their profession. They realize that only as long as the profession abides by ethical standards will society allow it to keep functioning autonomously. “The salary thing has got to be separate, because nobody could continue to do this unless they wanted to. I’ll be forty in December, and I see things a lot differently, looking back and looking ahead. I love this job. It’s a lifetime challenge because every fire is different, even the same variables move around in different sequences. We pay a lot of attention to building construction and renovation. And it amazes me how hard young officer work to come up through the ranks and how much intensive knowledge of fire science and fireground experience they have. #RandolphHarris 19 of 30
“The guys in our battalion work hard every day. If I ever get lucky and make district chief, a top priority will be to continue to improve our knowledge of the conditions we work under and what certain types of buildings are going to do before the fire, so we are prepared when we get there. Not everything is a three-story frame—we call them three-deckers—where you finish yawning and the fire is out. This is a serious profession. We’re trying to maintain this image that we’re supermen but at the same time acknowledging that we’re not indestructible or infallible but only human. Some officers misinterpret the way the guys behave. There is just plain a lot of stress that goes with the job. I wish we could have a program in all the fire departments where the media actually go to drill school. I’d like to see the reporters and the mayors of all these cities go down the long hallway trying to search, or pulling a line and trying to pull ceilings at the same time. I believe they’d have a different view of firefighter if they could go to two or three jobs in a row, then come out and say, ‘I didn’t quite realize it was like that.’ Civilians just don’t believe how fast that fire will travel. They leave their kids unattended for a couple of minutes, shoot out the door, and go down to the corner for a second. How quickly it spreads. Those things hit me nowadays.” Leaders can enhance their ability to maintain accountability by surrounding themselves with people who will be honest with you about who you really are or what you are becoming. Since officers may have trouble noticing a change, it’s vital that they are ready for it and use colleagues or family members to maintain an awareness for them. #RandolphHarris 20 of 30
If you see a fire truck stopped in the street without the lights on, be very careful. Sometimes there is an emergency and you should not pass the fire truck. It might be a good idea to safely turn around and go another way because if you hit someone and they happen to die, you could be charged with manslaughter. Sometimes fire fighters are getting back into their vehicle and if you pass the apparatus, you may collide with a firefighter who is on foot. Also, be sure to look at their signals, sometimes emergency vehicles are in motions, albeit, slowly, and drivers try to pass them, and this could lead to a dangerous situation. Also, if you are in an intersection when you see an emergency vehicle, continue through the intersection. Drive to the right as soon as it is safe and stop. Obey any direction, order, or signal given by a law enforcement officer, or a firefighter. Even if they conflict with existing signs, signals, or laws, follow their orders. When their siren or flashing lights are on, it is against the law to follow within 300 feet of any fire engine, law enforcement vehicle, ambulance, or other emergency vehicle. If you drive to the scene of a fire, collision, or other disaster, you can be arrested. When you do this, you are getting in the way of firefighters, ambulance crews, or other rescue and emergency personnel. The concept of professional courage does not always mean being as tough as nails, either. It also suggests a willingness to listen to other peoples’ problems, to go to bat for them in a tough situation and it means knowing just how far they can go. It also means being willing to tell the boss when he or she is wrong. #RandolphHarris 21 of 30
California is the third most expensive state in the nation. A single person making an income above $100,000 is now consider low-income in five counties in California. This distinction now applies to individuals living in Santa Cruze, Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, and Marin counties. In 37 percent of counties, a family of four living on a six-figure income is now considered low-income. In fact, Governor Gavin Newsom of Democratic controlled California, brags about being the world’s “fifth largest economy,” but it also facing a $12 billion deficit, looking to cut $747 million for state worker’s pay, pushing to keep medical insurance for illegal immigrants, but wants to cut medical for anyone who has assets over $2,000 and the state has the largest homeless population in the nation. If they are all officially counted, California has approximately 4 million homeless people. The highest home prices in the nation, the highest taxes and the most unfriendly business regulations known to man. The average home price in California is nearly $1,000,000.00 USD, while the average salary is $96,036.00, meaning that most Californians cannot even afford to buy a home. California is having an affordability crisis. In 2025, many people in California saw their bills increase by an estimated $500 a month. This includes things like food, automobile insurance, homeowner’s insurance, electricity. In fact, more than 3 million people in California are facing household hardship, and more than 300,000 of them are facing eviction soon. This comes at a time when California is having a shortage of affordable housing. This is caused by nearly half a century’s old laws that discourage homes sales and encourage higher rents. Meanwhile, China, where we are sending all of our jobs and money has more than 50 ghost cities. Ghost cities are regions will housing has been overdeveloped to the point that these places are uninhabited. Because California is so hostile towards people and businesses, more than 360 companies have fled the state since 2020. Businesses like Chevron, SpaceX, Oracle, and Hewlett Packard are amongst the names on that list. #RandolphHarris 22 of 30
Also, more than 500,000 people a year are abandoning California because it is too expensive to live in, Gavin Newsom has criminalized homelessness and actually started arresting people without homes, crime is out of control, and they are losing their jobs due to companies relocating. More than 100 companies have announced layoffs in California for 2025. Intel is cutting 15,000 jobs, PayPal 2,500 and Meta has terminated 4,000 employees. The California crisis created by Democrats is driving up home prices and mortgages and rents all over the nation and the world, making living unaffordable for all, and advocates say the crisis is far from over. Accordingly, California has more than 3.5 million illegal immigrants. Having the Southern American boarder open and not having American farmland protected, not producing beef, poultry, fish, fruit, produce and dairy in America, and without American goods and services being our number one manufactured and selling items, America has created a dangerous and significantly elevated risks to national security, national economic security, and national public health. Some people may believe that these claims are overstated, but by not routinely monitoring Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CEVs) or other security relevant alerts, such as end-of-life of machinery is how the Oroville Dam Crisis occurred in 2017. Other crises that have occurred due to neglect of critical infrastructure is the 2025 Palisades fires because Southern California ran out of water, when they are located next to an ocean and they could have simply created desalinating plants to help with the water shortage. The water is so plentiful that it is currently eroding land and causing homes to fall into the sea. Desalination has been identified as one technology that will help solve California’s water scarcity problem. Desalination is a cost-effective technology that can transform an abundance of salt water into a reliable supply of potable, fresh water, which is a great way to fight climate change and have enough water for our region’s water requirements. Ras Al Khair, Saudi Arabia is producing 1,036,000 meters (273,682,192) per day of desalinated water. #RandolphHarris 23 of 30
The American government should know all exploitable vulnerabilities and fix them prior to the situation becoming a crisis. Failure to take such mitigating actions is dangerous and significantly elevates risk to national security, national economic security, and national public health and safety. The American government must understand that significant time and resources must be invested in America. They must also encourage corporations to plan for both mitigating safety vulnerabilities in the short term and eliminating them in the long term. For instance, a company might begin by reaching out to the federal, state or local government and requesting tax incentives to provide security to dangerous communities, to help the government repair bridges and potholes. America needs an approach to eliminate safety vulnerabilities in American cities. There needs to be a road map by the end of 2025, outlining a prioritized approach to eliminate crisis situations in America. There is enough money to send aid to foreign nations, but the American government does not have enough money to care their infrastructure, provide adequate resources, nor end the affordable housing crisis. Nor is there enough money to fund other national critical functions (NCFs). These bad practices of putting America and Americans last is considered exceptionally risky, particularly to national security, national economic security, and national public health and safety. In 2024, Americans spent $100 billion on Japanese cars. #RandolphHarris 24 of 30
The maximum percentage of your gross income that you should earmark for a monthly mortgage payment is calculated at 28 percent, and no more than 36 percent of your gross income to all debts, including mortgage. If you take 28 percent of the median household income per home in Sacramento County, homeowners can only afford a mortgage of $2,070.23 per month. And if you take 36 percent of their gross income to all debts, including mortgage, they should be devoting no more than $2,661.72 a month to these debts. Mortgage lenders must be using some kind of sorcery to get buyers into these expensive homes. To afford one of these homes using traditional guidelines, a household would need to gross $11,280.24 per month or $135,362.88 per year, but the median household in Sacramento County is grossing $7,393.67 or $88,724.00 and that typically means two to four people in the home are working and contributing to the mortgage. Prices in Sacramento County are actually rivaling the Bay Area, and the Bay Aera is so expensive because they have more higher paying jobs and is a tourist destination. And with the State of California being in a budget deficit of $12 billion, Governor Gavin Newsom Granted 700,000 illegal immigrants free health care at a cost to taxpayers of $3 billion annually, while cutting vital programs for veterans, school children, the disabled and the homeless, and is proposing to fast-track his plan to build a $20 billion water tunnel beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta by eliminating environmental reviews and limit avenues for legal challenges. Gavin Newsom only cares about the environment when his policies allow him to raise taxes and restrict freedoms. #RandolphHarris 25 of 30
In fact, Mexico has been causing one of America’s worst environmental disasters. Fifty million gallons a day of industrial chemicals, untreated sewage, and trash flow from Tijuana, Mexico, into southern San Diego County daily. This toxic waste has been turning up on Imperial Beach, and is causing the miles of white sands to become polluted and the ocean breeze to smell of poop, which has been sickening residents and wildlife and costing San Diego millions in the form of lost tourism and health problems. The problem has been going on for more than a century. However, it has become a public health crisis as the population of Tijuana has drastically increased, in recent years, and the waste treatment plants have no longer usable. The beach has been closed for more than three years, and evidence suggests that even breathing the air may be harmful, as toxic particles in the water can become airborne. Yet, even though Gavin Newsom has been governor for six years, he has not rushed into action to stop this very preventable environmental disaster. Why? Because he is not getting kickbacks from China and Mexico, not being gifted mansions and cars, and he cannot tax the struggling California taxpayers to clean up this mess. Simply, it is not profitable for him. Gavin Newsom has been a total tyrant with no regard for taxpayers and does not have a mind for business and should be impeached as soon as possible. He has criminalized poverty, increased taxes, increased tax on gas, and insurance rates so high that people are struggling to survive. In addition to Gavin Newsom’s increased gas prices starting 1 July 2025, the war between Iran and Israel is going to further exacerbate the prices of gas and cause more inflation and economic hardship for people in California. #RandolphHarris 26 of 30
While everyone is making war over America and who belongs here and who she belongs to, so many people forget about the people who are Indigenous to this land. Open boarders have allowed hundreds of thousands of cartel operatives to infiltrate reservations across the United States of America, and use the isolated lands as havens to traffic fentanyl pills and other drugs into the country without protection from federal authorities. Drug cartels have been threatening the health and safety of Native American communities. The trafficking of the dangerous and illegal drugs into their territories is leading to a second genocide. The overdose rate for Indigenous is 42 percent higher than the national average. A recent bust on Montana’s Blackfeet Nation’s Tribal Reservation resulted in the seizure of more than 700,000 fentanyl pills, which was the largest bust in Montana history. Recently, the Blackfeet Nation had to declare a state of emergency after facing 17 overdoses in just one week. There are only 6.8 million Native Americans left in the world, which is 2 percent of the American population. We should be doing more to protect these proud and honorable people; they should not want for anything. People rush and give away resources to illegal immigrants, but totally disregard the Indigenous people of this land, as their race silently fades away into extinction. We must secure our boarders and increase federal funding to Native America tribes so we can save this precious population. Meanwhile, Gavin Newsom has given billions of taxpayer dollars away to illegal immigrants and protected them from law enforcement, while arresting law abiding Americans because they cannot afford to pay rent or mortgage and the homeless shelters are unsafe, overcrowded and have restrictions on who is allowed inside. He also has totally ignored the cartel problems on American lands. Clean air, water, land and preserving our heritage extremely important. We cannot just allow criminals to kill off the people who are native to this land and do nothing about it. Wars have been started over governments who tax citizens without representation. Taxation without representation is what led to the American Revolution. If Gavin Newsom is not stopped, next he will euthanize the poor and sterilize the disabled. Gavin Newsom has wars and fires breaking out on the streets, but goes out of his way to arrest people who have no place to live. This monster is unfit to be governor and must never be allowed to be President of America! Stop Gavin Newsom now! Save California and impeach this unreasonable man. #RandolphHarris 27 of 30
Meanwhile, with President Trump, we are seeing crime rates sharply decrease, and he recently secured $10 trillion in investments. Additionally, in May of 2025, the United States of America collected a record $100 billion in tariff revenue, and that number will increase to $300 billion by the end of 2025. President Trump has also been nominated for a Noble Peace Prize for making Iran and Israel crease fire. If elected president for an unprecedented third term, to make housing more affordable and to offset the cost of homeowner’s insurance and auto insurance, President Trump plans to abolish property taxes. Much like the land crisis in Las Vegas, we could also run out of land to farm and will not be able to grow or cultivate our own food. We can protect American farmland and support American farmers by buying American made beef, poultry, dairy, and produce. Also, country of origin labeling is very important so Americans can know where their food is coming from and have the ability to support American farmers and ranchers. As money flows, it influences further investment. Save the land that sustains us by protecting American farmland. Once the land is built on, we lose it forever. And in the future, there may be food wars. Also, to ensure that we have farmland and buildable land for future use, we need to start limiting the number of people allowed to immigrant to America. Perhaps with the immigrants we do allow into America, there needs to be a diversity program to make sure we have a population that equally represents all races of people. If Americans continue to spend money on American products, then more need to be made to keep up the inventory. When investors notice these goods are selling, it gives them the confidence to pour more money into that local business. It shows that people want these goods made in America and pressures investors to keep these goods and services in America. The jobs stay here, the business stays in American, wages naturally increase, and more money is invested to keep up with demand. This reduces the burden on the taxpayer. When you support American businesses, that money stays in our economy and can help to reduce the national debt. The government creates debt by borrowing from businesses in the private sector or from foreign countries. It also increases the national debt by spending more than it gains in tax revenue in a fiscal year. #RandolphHarris 28 of 30
When people shop locally, more tax money stays in the economy and goes to the government. This way, it keeps more money in our national economy and keeps more jobs located in American which also sends more taxes to the government, which can again help to reduce the national debt. When you buy foreign goods, these companies usually have lighter tax loads or exemptions, meaning less money for the nation debt, plus you are helping to strengthen these foreign nations by send more money overseas. Buying American made products is also better for the environment and helps to reduce the carbon footprint because these products do not have to travel nearly as far. Furthermore, American companies and manufacturers are held to much higher standards on pollution. American companies must be more careful about air, land, and water pollution and have proper ways to dispose of waste. Moreover, please remember to respect law and order and treat your elders with the utmost dignity and kindness possible. And take your education seriously so that you will be successful in life and make your family proud. It is inborn in the human minds to wish to know. If this begins with the endless surface questions of a child’s curiosity, if it continues into deeper questions of a scientist’s probing investigation, it cannot and does not stop there. For the higher part of the mind will eventually come into unfoldment, that union of abstract reflective thought with mystical intuition, which is true intelligence, which needs and sees a view of the whole of things. And so, the knowing faculty enters the realm of philosophy. #RandolphHarris 29 of 30
As you can see, President Donald Trump and his pledge to “Make America Great Again,” is exactly what America needs to save the country and the American people. And yes, diversity is important, so you can see why it is also important to preserve blonde hair and blue eyes as the people with these characteristics are becoming a minority in America. We must think before we can understand the soul’s existence; we must understand before we can realize it. The earliest beginnings of thought, as apart from instinct, when it was itself still but a lurking tendency, belong far back in primeval time. The human intellect as we find it today, so rich and developed an instrument for the consciousness of the ego, did not arrived at this fulness without a series of graduated stages. We have had plenty of scientific thinking, business thinking, and political thinking long enough, but we have had very little inspired thinking. That is the world’s need. The intellect is cradled in selfishness but runs the evolutionary track into reason where it will one day finish at the winning-post of selflessness. As a reminder, parents, pleasure teach your children love America and be patriotic citizens and to buy goods and services made in America. It is also important to respect law and order and treat your elders with respect. Also, to make sure they have all the resources required, please donate to the Sacramento Fire Department to help improve our national security. “Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand between their loved home and the war’s desolation! Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, and this be our motto: ‘In God is our trust.’ And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” #RandolphHarris 30 of 30
Experience an unforgettable journey back to the time of kings and queens with this entry ticket for The Winchester Mansion in Santa Clara, California which was the residence of Heiress Sarah L. Winchester. Take advantage of this fascinating experience. After tour, there will be time enjoy the mansion’s splendor at your own pace. You might even discover secret passages.
Please come and enjoy a delicious meal in Sarah’s Café, stroll along the paths of the beautiful Victorian gardens, and wonder through the miles of hallways in the World’s most mysterious mansion.
For further information about tours, including group tours, weddings, school events, birthday party packages, facility rentals, and special events please visit the website: https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/
Please visit the online giftshop, and purchase a gift for friends and relatives as well as a special memento of The Winchester Mystery House. A variety of souvenirs and gifts are available to purchase. https://shopwinchestermysteryhouse.com/
Although the actual mansion is much older, we wish to wish the Winchester Mansion a Happy 102 years of giving tours, and express our gratitude to our families, ancestors, spirits, and friends and to our many associates and clients, whose lives touched our lives and whose ideas helped us to grow. We would also like to thank our employees and care takers for putting the technical ideas of this estate into conversational style, and we are, of course, extremely thank to all of our patrons for helping to keep the legacy of the Winchester Family alive. The Winchester Mystery House is full of surprises. What was your favorite, “Oooh!” moment during your visit at the mansion? (And for those of you who still have to check it off your bucket list… we will hopefully see you soon.) https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/
Harris Plumbing, Heating, Air, & Electric has been in business for 30 years. How many businesses can say that? We take pride in everything we do – no matter how big or small the service call might be. We’re here to help your home be as safe and comfortable as possible for you and your family. We take that responsibility very seriously as a company. Harris will ensure you have the information you need to decide what to do next, whatever your home is facing. We’ll perform a diagnosis and detail what issues are present before starting any work. This gives you a personalized quote and service plan specific to your home’s needs – not some random quote based on the best guess. The only way we can do our best work is to make sure we handle the issues at hand. https://www.callharrisnow.com/about-us/
BMW continues to dominate the luxury car space. With its top ranking in Consumer Reports’ Auto Brand Report Card and consistent market share growth, BMW has demonstrated its ability to produce high-performing, reliable vehicles that meet consumer demands.
BMW stands out due to its focus on driving dynamics and engineering excellence. While other luxury brands prioritize comfort and opulence, BMW is known for creating cars that are fun to drive and offer a unique connection between the driver and the machine. https://www.brianharrisbmw.com/
Randolph Harris San Francisco Taxation & Mergers
Randy advises clients with regard to business transition, taxable and tax deferred mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, restructuring, integrated tax planning, federal and state tax controversy resolution, and real estate transactions. https://www.jmbm.com/l-randolph-harris.html
Millhaven Homes is the best custom home builder in Utah. Millhaven understands that a house is more than just bricks and mortar. There is an ambiance and an atmosphere, and every home is created with comfort and luxury in mind.
These homes offer spacious living areas, custom features, and relaxing outdoor areas. They are all designed to fulfill dreams, enlivened with charm and sophistication. Millhaven, creates picturesque homes where you will spend generations enjoying the grandeur of your residence. https://millhavenhomes.com/
Randolph Harris II International 