I was born and raised in California, growing up there in the 1950s and 1960s. It was paradise. When I got out of the Air Force in 1974 I went back to the L.A. area (far west L.A., a mile from the beach) for a while, then went north for school, but came back down south. I saw the writing on the wall way back then, and got the hell out of California in 1979 and never looked back. One of the many reasons I utterly despise and detest Democrats is because of what they did to the once-great state of California. California is a lost cause, as it has been destroyed.
I go to California on temporary duty on occasion. A waitress once overheard our group discussing politics and let us know “not everyone around here thinks that way.” I do get to meet some good, honest, and hard working people there, but holy crap, I cannot for the life of me figure out why they let them get away with it! Congrats on your escape, and thank you for your service!