Father Charles Coughlin was a prominent Catholic priest with a weekly national radio broadcast based in Michigan. He used his pulpit to promote isolationism, lament the rise of secularism, atheism, and communism, and blame certain groups (such as Jews) for the country’s and world’s ailments. In this November 20, 1938, broadcast, less than two weeks after Kristallnacht, Coughlin laments the persecution of Jews in Germany, but places the blame for their continued persecution on the failure of Jewish leaders to renounce Communism and the persecution of Christians throughout the world. In “Select Clientele,” Sam mentions Coughlin as a reason for the rise in anti-Semitic acts like the one he experienced. Coughlin enjoyed a huge following until the government and Catholic Church restricted his platform in 1940 and then again in 1942. 

Suggested Activity: After students have read and/or listened to the excerpts, ask them: What does Father Coughlin argue are the reasons for the rise of Nazi anti-Semitism? What audience is he appealing to? How do you think American listeners—and Jews specifically—would have received this speech in 1938? How do you think his tone in the audio excerpt contributes to his message? Ask students to think about media personalities and ideologues of today, and how their messages—and the tones they use to deliver them—compare to Father Coughlin's. 

Then, have students write a letter in the voice of a Jew living in the United States in 1938. The letter can be to a hypothetical friend or neighbor who avidly listens to Father Coughlin every week, or it can be to Coughlin himself. Ask students to consider what would be the best way to refute Coughlin’s arguments convincingly.