9. Father Charles Coughlin went from supporting the New Deal to raging against Jews and being locked up for sedition for his hate-filled broadcasts.
When Father Charles Coughlin started his radio show in 1926, his goal was simple: the Catholic priest wanted to speak out against a spate of Ku Klux Klan marches and cross burnings in his Detroit parish. Within a few years, he was also using his platform to support President Roosevelt and his New Deal. But by the mid-1930s, Father Coughlin’s politics had lurched to the right. His opposition to Communism – which he felt was a threat to the Church – soon morphed into severe anti-Semitism, and his pro-fascist messages were reaching an audience of millions.
Despite his support for FDR, Father Coughlin became increasingly anti-democratic. He believed authoritarianism was the key to stability and economic prosperity. Unsurprisingly, he came to the attention of the Nazi regime and many in Germany saw him as a potential ally. Moreover, the priest also copied a number of Nazi tactics, not least in urging people to boycott Jewish-owned businesses. However, on the eve of the Second World War, Coughlin publicly distanced himself from the Nazi German American Bund. But still, the Church authorities had his show cancelled. He was allowed to keep his parish so long as he refrain from broadcasting.