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By Rev. Jake Dell In an era of spiritual awakening, young American men—particularly those of heritage stock—are increasingly drawn to ancient Christian traditions. Amidst the chaos of woke ideology and cultural decay, many seek refuge in the ornate liturgies of Eastern Orthodoxy or the structured hierarchies of Roman Catholicism. These paths offer timeless rituals, unyielding doctrines, and a rejection of modern progressivism, symbolized by churches free of rainbow flags. Yet, as a pastor rooted in New England's historic soil, I argue that the most authentic and attractive faith for these men lies not in imported traditions, but in the home-grown American Protestantism of our fathers, as discussed in my recent interview on The SCIF with L. Todd Wood . This tradition is woven into the fabric of America itself. Born from the Puritan settlers who braved the Atlantic in the 17th century, it embodies the pioneer spirit that founded towns like Woodbury, Connecticut, in 1659. These early congregations were not mere religious outposts; they were ecclesiastical societies that chartered communities, taxed for church upkeep, and educated children in biblical truth. Churches like the First Congregational in Woodbury, with its 1818 meeting house, stand as living monuments to a faith that seeded liberty and self-governance. From the Great Awakening revivals of Jonathan Edwards to the abolitionist fervor of the 19th century, this Protestantism fueled America's moral compass, emphasizing personal encounter with God through Scripture over mediated rituals. Why should young heritage-American men prefer this over Orthodoxy or Catholicism? First, it's native to our land. Orthodoxy, with its Byzantine icons and Slavic chants, thrives in Greece or Russia but feels foreign in the cradle of American liberty. Catholicism, while influential through later immigration, carries the baggage of papal authority and historical entanglements with European monarchies—elements at odds with our republican ethos. American Protestantism, by contrast, is the faith of the Mayflower Compact, where believers covenanted directly with God and one another, fostering individualism and communal responsibility without intermediaries. Moreover, it aligns with the masculine virtues young men crave: boldness, self-reliance, and action. Protestantism's emphasis on sola scriptura—Scripture alone—empowers men to read God's word themselves, without needing priestly interpretation. It's a faith for builders, not mere preservers; one that demands reclaiming hijacked institutions from progressive "wolves" who wave flags of compromise. The appeal of ancient traditions is understandable in a deracinated age, but importing them risks further cultural alienation. Instead, imagine revitalizing a colonial church: stripping away liberal accretions, preaching unvarnished truth, and forging communities that echo our ancestors' resilience. This is no retreat—it's a noble conquest—like the New England wilderness of old. As tides turn against wokeness, per divine providence, young men can pour gas on the revival by restoring these bastions. In Connecticut, where revival stirs anew, churches like mine welcome sinners to a straightforward faith: yes means yes, no means no. It's time to make American Protestantism great again—not through novelty, but fidelity to our heritage. Young men, your fathers' God calls you home. The Rev. Jake Dell, pastor of First Congregational Church of Woodbury, Connecticut, is a former Episcopal priest and Yale College graduate.
The Fairfield Firebrand: Melissa Longo by Adam Hart I have previously expounded upon the political quagmire that is the Republican Town Committee (RTC) system in Connecticut in my March 2025 article for The Centinal, “The RTC Trap”. Now in the aftermath of the horrific Charlie Kirk assassination, the corruption of those bodies throughout Connecticut has emerged plainly into the light of day. The pitiful creature that calls itself the Republican Party in Connecticut has mustered the energy to crawl out of the damp dungeon it jealously guards, and now weakly attempts to corral the righteous anger that has bubbled up from the depths of the hearts of American patriots. I am speaking generally about the response to recent events by the CT GOP, but I am also speaking specifically about the commotion caused by Fairfield RTC member Melissa Longo. I had the pleasure of speaking directly with Melissa soon after the whirlwind began over her online remarks pertaining to the assassination. This was a courtesy not afforded to legacy media until just recently, and with good reason, as the reputation of most journalists has been irreparably tarnished by the work of the various left wing smear merchants that populate the profession. Every honest observer of politics knows that the left perfected their art of character assassination long before they mastered agitating young liberals into murderous rage. In this article, I shall elaborate on Melissa’s recent experiences in Fairfield, and why American patriots should not be seeking “unity” in these troubling times. In Melissa’s social media posts, she excoriated the left, and bluntly stated that Democrats are “Faithless, God hating, evil, vile people”. Strong words for sure, but unless you are completely dishonest with yourself, you know that this is language that average conservative Republicans have been using among themselves for decades now. These things are not typically discussed publicly, and are avoided with dread and trepidation at the Thanksgiving dinner table, while American patriots are forced to scream in the soundproof room of their souls about all the evil we see in this world. Ironically in this modern age of everyone having their own truth, and every bizarre and deviant form of “self-expression” being treated as valid by the mainstream culture, American patriots are denied their voice about anything that really matters. It’s a free country. As long as you don't have anything of consequence to say. Fairfield RTC Chair Laura Devlin wants those thanksgiving dinners to go smoothly. “Free speech is one thing, hate speech is something else” according to Mrs. Devlin in her comments to News 12, and she has used her position to condemn Melissa, and even vastly overstepped her authority by removing her from the RTC web page as a candidate. This is the typical stale old Republican unity rhetoric, which we saw here in Connecticut before Charlie’s blood was even cold, and the offering of a sacrifice to assuage Democrat vitriol and hate. Devlin fears that strong rhetoric will harm Republican candidates in the elections in Fairfield, by diminishing their chances to draw Democrat voters away from their party. Well I have some uncomfortable truth to share with Mrs. Devlin, for as Charlie Kirk would patiently explain to her, there is no such thing as “hate speech”. This is why Democrats are free to sling about the most egregious slander imaginable, regularly accusing every American who has political or religious beliefs to the right of Lenin as being a racist, fascist, nazi, white supremacist, etc. etc. In our current age of media manipulation and duplicitous politicians, freedom of speech is one of the last honest defenses we have in our society. The 1st amendment ensures legal protection, so that people can tell us who they truly are, and I for one, value that. We have seen that the American people value straight talk above all else with the election of President Trump, who disregards all the focus groups, and tells people exactly what is on his mind. Honesty is an American value, and as Melissa Longo has correctly noted, it resonates with the base when they know they have a genuine champion, not just an inoffensively packaged negotiator representing them. Has the Democrat party ever disavowed their radicals? Surely, they must do so if they want to secure a super majority in the Connecticut legislature, right? Yeah. We have heard exactly zero members of the Democrat Party denouncing the blood lust of their radicals, as they have the advantage of a complicit Republican party which quite literally lets them get away with murder. Democrats are happy to decry political violence “from both sides”, knowing full well that right wing political violence is so non existent in America, that they must resort to enlisting the FBI to literally manufacture it, like they did on January 6th, and in the great Gretchin Whitmer kidnapping hoax. As a right-wing political activist myself, I can confirm that it is a monumental task just convincing Republicans to vote, so the chances of any of them ever being radicalized and convinced to conduct assassinations are virtually zero. Republicans like Chairwoman Devlin do not live in the current reality that the rest of us do. They still live with childish ignorance in the picture perfect Pax Americana of the 1990s, when not that much separated Democrats and Republicans, save some differing opinions on what was the best direction for the country. It is the year 2025, and the political divide is now incomprehensibly vast. Ordinary American patriots love their country, and are struggling to raise their families in peace, while the radical left insists our very blood is evil, our history is wicked, our skin color is oppressive, and the land we call home is stolen from people better than us. Mrs. Devlin, and many in the CT GOP do not know what time it is. That’s enough about our feckless Republican Party. Let’s get back to Melissa and her “hate speech”. Generally speaking, when leftists accuse someone of hate speech, what they mean is true speech. We can simply examine Melissa’s statement, and see if any of it was in error. Now does anyone remember the response Kamala Harris gave when some attendees shouted out “Jesus is Lord” at her event? “Oh, you guys are at the wrong rally” was the then Vice President’s response to those young men. Kamala Harris did not win the election, and now the Vice Presidency is held by a man who does not pull punches when confronting the left and their media mouthpieces. There is a lesson to be learned there, but I think for our purposes today, the former Democrat presidential candidate’s opposition to The Lord Jesus Christ is the key take away. “Faithless and God hating” certainly seems to check out, and as we saw on September 10th, I think it’s fair to take things a step further, and add “violent and dangerous” to the adjectives describing modern Democrats. Like Vice President Vance, Melissa Longo also does not pull punches, and this is exactly why she retains the support of Fairfield residents and is now gaining the attention and loyalty of marginalized conservatives from across the state. In our conversation Melissa correctly gauged that “There are no Democrat votes to be gained” by sheepishly begging for unity from Democrats. Like an abuser who suddenly wants to be reasonable when the police arrive at a domestic dispute, Governor Lamont and the Democrats are droning on continuously about unity now, when it is their radical activists who are murdering our people. I will pass on unity with that, thank you. Your party created this beast, Governor Lamont, I suggest you rein it in yourself. Connecticut Republicans can likely expect more “divisive” rhetoric from Melissa Longo, as she confirmed that while she regretted the use of some vulgarity that set the Republican leadership to hand wringing, she has no intention of backing down and retracting her statements. This is the leadership of the RTC that has opted to toss her to the wolves, and is endeavoring to remove her from the body. They do not speak for the entirety of Fairfield Republicans. Melissa did say that she received support from the Connecticut GOP in her recent bid for state rep, so we shall see what the party leadership decides on her. Will they stand up and support a potential rising star for their flailing organization? Or will they pay tribute once more to the Godless beast that is strangling our state? Time will tell, but as for me and my house, we stand with Melissa Longo. No unity with the violent radical left. “They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace’, when there is no peace.” - Jeremiah 6:14
Family Portraits in Ruins: Pink’s Testimony and the Wreckage of Divorce Culture Third-wave feminism spoke of smashing the patriarchy. The rallying cry promised freedom from oppressive structures, but what it often delivered — through shifts in divorce law, custody norms, and cultural messaging — was the smashing of families. One doesn’t need to read legal briefs or sociology papers to see the fallout. The most compelling testimony comes from the children themselves, and Pink’s 2001 hit Family Portrait is a raw, unfiltered cry from inside the ruins. The Father Hunger The central refrain of the song — “Daddy don’t leave” — is not political rhetoric, it’s a child’s desperate plea. Pink paints the picture of a young girl bargaining with her father: “I’ll be so much better… I won’t spill the milk at dinner.” This reveals the way children internalize divorce, carrying guilt and responsibility for adult dysfunction. Far from liberation, the absence of the father creates an existential wound, leaving the daughter to believe her worth is contingent on preventing abandonment. Maternal Chaos Pink also describes the mother’s breakdown — crying, yelling, fighting over money. The home is not a sanctuary but a battlefield: “It ain’t easy growing up in World War III.” The supposed empowerment of women through divorce often translates into instability for children. The song captures this chaos viscerally: the sound of breaking glass, the crying mother, the fractured sense of safety. Feminist liberation here does not look like strength but fragility passed down to the child. The Lost Patriarchal Order The haunting wish in the song is not for independence or freedom but for a restoration: “In our family portrait, we look pretty happy… let’s go back to that.” Pink’s nostalgia — even if it is “pretend” — reveals a deep cultural longing for structure, unity, and fatherhood. Ironically, while feminist discourse framed the patriarchal household as oppressive, the child inside that broken home dreams not of emancipation but of its return. Cultural Testimony This is why Family Portrait is more than a pop ballad. It’s an artifact of cultural truth. Children of divorce did not celebrate the dismantling of patriarchy — they mourned it. Their music, their stories, their broken pleas became evidence of what was lost. The feminist slogans shouted in the streets find their counterpoint in the whispers and cries of children who just wanted their dad to stay home. Conclusion Pink, an icon of rebellion and independence, did not sing this as theory. She sang it as lived pain. Her song is evidence that when fathers were written out of the home by cultural and legal revolutions, children paid the price. The family portrait — once the symbol of order and stability — became a museum piece of something children could only pretend to have.
