↓
 

The New American Digest

For Followers of Gerard Van der Leun's Fine Work

  • About American Digest
  • About New American Digest
  • “The Name In The Stone”
  • Remembering Gerard Van der Leun
    • from the website: Through the Looking Glass
    • from the website: Barnhardt
    • from the website: Neo’s Blog
  • Articles
    • The Overland Stage
      • The Holladay Overland Stage: 1 – The Central Route
      • The Overland Stage – 2 Company Operations
      • The Overland Stage – 3 Exploring The Route – An Overview
      • The Overland Stage: 4 – South Platte/Julesburg/Ft Sedgwick
        • Jack Slade
      • The Overland Stage: 5 – Julesburg to Junction Station (aka Ft Morgan)
      • The Overland Stage: 6 – Junction Station to Latham
      • The Overland Stage: 7 – Latham Crossing to Fort Collins
      • The Overland Stage: 8 – LaPorte to Virginia Dale
      • The Overland Stage: 9 – Virginia Dale to Cooper Creek
      • The Overland Stage: 10 – Cooper Creek to Pass Creek
        • Fletcher Family
      • The Overland Stage: 11 – Pass Creek to Bridger Station
      • The Overland Stage: 12 – Bridger Pass to Duck Lake
      • The Overland Stage: 13 – Duck Lake to LaClede
      • The Overland Stage: 14 – LaClede to Almond
      • The Overland Stage: 15 – Almond to Rock Springs
      • The Overland Stage: 16 – Rock Springs to Fort Bridger
      • The Overland Stage: 17 – Fort Bridger to Weber Station

I find I don’t wish to explore new lands, but to explore again those I have already passed through, trying to see what I’d missed in the first hectic rush … Gerard Van der Leun

Home→Published 2025 → March → 18

Daily Archives: March 18, 2025

Actually – I Don’t Have A Problem With This

The New American Digest Posted on March 18, 2025 by DTMarch 18, 2025

"Indiana’s Chatterbox Jazz Club Threatens Patron with a Bat for Wearing MAGA Hat -Then Kicks Her Out"

Though the threat of physical harm was uncalled for.

Time to rock the boat and let my extreme right-wingness out of its box for a bit - I'm all in favor of a bit of judicious segregation.
Let me know you don't want me "there" and I won't go. Just don't be surprised or "offended" if I return the favor.

I believe the owner of a private business* has every right to "We reserve the right to refuse service"; to serve the customers desired and not serve those not desired. Put up a sign at the door: "Abandon all hope, ye honkies who enter here". I've known places like that, even without the sign.

If a bar owner wants to allow customers to smoke, those that don't smoke do not have to enter. It's certainly not the government's business ... and if the bar owner goes out of business because of such a policy, so be it, it's his concern. And "protestors" do not have the right to argue or block said business.

If I offer custom services, I get to pick and choose those I will work for. "No, I won't bake your cake. Find someone else or do it yourself."

If a store wishes to serve only the latest collection of letters and not straight white men, so be it. If a straight white man chooses to not serve those of that latest alphabet soup, so be it.

(There's a restaurant in town here that makes a point of telling all that it's "LGBTQ+ friendly". I don't go there. Not that I care who or what you sleep with but a place that feels the need to advertise such would probably get me involved in some sort of politics ...
... and I'm just looking for a good meal.
They're probably Democrats. Would they spit in my food knowing I'm not LGBTQ?

If someone doesn't want blacks or arabs or whites or gays as customers? ... there are plenty of businesses that prefer to not serve straight white Americans. That's OK ... just don't be upset if straight white men don't want you as a customer.

If store wishes to not serve gays, gays stay out ... as the same gays should be able to keep straights out of their places of business. Actually, I've found gays - the screaming queen types - to be more one-sided segregationist than any other group. Those I've known (I worked theatre for several years) want every "right" to do as they please, to go where they wish ... but want to keep straights away from their "special" places (not that I ever understood why a true "straight" would want to go to such places).

(Though there is a tale of me and a girlfriend looking for a room on Castro St in SF over 40 years ago.
We were meeting a gay friend who happened to be the editor of a national magazine in NYC.

He got pissed at that hotel over their treatment of us.
We ended up at the Sir Francis Drake instead ... It was a different world back then.
)

People love the 1st Amendment because of "freedom of speech" (or hate it for the same reason). A less known phrase is "the right of the people peaceably to assemble" which may also be stated as freedom of non-assembly. Nothing is gained by forcing "togetherness". Gee - I have relatives I'd just as soon not "assemble" with.

Much might be gained by allowing voluntary separation ... aka, segregation. Screw "civil rights"; LBJ messed up this country more with his Great Society than he did with Kennedy's assassination or Vietnam. How can anyone claim "affirmative action" is not as >ra-a-ay-cist< as any Jim Crow law???

When all these "special" groups argue for "rights", they're not seeking equal treatment, they're arguing for "we're special" rights (rights being contrary to freedoms). Left-handed, 3-legged dwarfs don't want equal treatment - they want special consideration because they're victims of being left-handed 3-legged dwarfs and want the rest of us to be required to bow down to their victimhood.

Bah, humbug ...

*A business which chooses to become "public" - that is, raising money on the open market; selling stock on a public exchange for example, should not have that right.

Continue reading →
Posted in Uncategorized | 13 Replies

Tunes For Tuesday – Ozric Tentacles “Space Out”

The New American Digest Posted on March 18, 2025 by DTMarch 21, 2025

A sample of some obscure – and some maybe not obscure – tunes from my strange and off-the-wall collection.

Today’s selection: Ozric Tentacles - Space Out

I'd say Pink Floyd on acid, but that's a bit redundant - at least regards Pink Floyd's early days.

How about Pink Floyd with a bit of Porcupine Tree, both on acid?

The vast majority of their songs are instrumentals because, "I've never really liked vocals. Words always get in the way, make everything too specific. Our music is more about creating moods and giving the listener the chance to get whatever they want out of it. Music is better than singing."

English psychedelica.

Continue reading →
Posted in tunes | Leave a reply

Rules

Contact: dt@newamericandigest.org

Gerard Van der Leun
12/26/45 - 1/27/23


Gerard's Last Post
(posthumous): Feb 4, 2023
"So Long. See You All a Little Further Down the Road"

When my body won’t hold me anymore
And it finally lets me free
Where will I go?
Will the trade winds take me south through Georgia grain?
Or tropical rain?
Or snow from the heavens?
Will I join with the ocean blue?
Or run into a savior true?
And shake hands laughing
And walk through the night, straight to the light
Holding the love I’ve known in my life
And no hard feelings

Avett Brothers - No Hard Feelings

The following was posted along with the announcement of Gerard's passing.
Leonard Cohen - Going Home

For a 2005 interview with Gerard


March 2025
S M T W T F S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031  
« Feb   Apr »

Most Recent Comments

  1. Joe on HummersMay 17, 2026

    Just a reminder... Today, May 17, 2026, is designated as a national day of prayer and rededication for America, known…

  2. John Venlet on HummersMay 17, 2026

    Our Hummers; we only get the Ruby-throated here in Northern Michigan as this is the only Hummer east of the…

  3. azlibertarian on HummersMay 17, 2026

    Our hummingbirds are with us pretty much year round, although we do have fewer in the winter months. I've got…

  4. jean on I think I overdid the ears just a tad…May 16, 2026

    GrayDog, awww thank you.

  5. GrayDog on I think I overdid the ears just a tad…May 16, 2026

    Nope. everything about it is perfect.


Blogroll
The New Neo
Jean's Blog - Pondering
The Feral Irishman

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man,
play a song for me
I'm not sleepy
and there ain't no place I'm goin' to

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man,
play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning,
I'll come followin' you

Take me for a trip upon
your magic swirling ship
All my senses have been stripped
And my hands can't feel to grip
And my toes too numb to step
Wait only for my boot heels to be wanderin'

I'm ready to go anywhere,
I'm ready for to fade
Unto my own parade
Cast your dancing spell my way
I promise to go under it


Men who saw night coming down about them could somehow act as if they stood at the edge of dawn.


From Gerard's site. The picture always caught my eye.

Archives

  • May 2026
  • April 2026
  • March 2026
  • February 2026
  • January 2026
  • December 2025
  • November 2025
  • October 2025
  • September 2025
  • August 2025
  • July 2025
  • June 2025
  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024

Contact: dt@newamericandigest.org

About "DT"

The New American Digest © 2024 - Weaver Xtreme Theme
↑