Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism

by Rachel Maddow

Father Coughlin’s first instinct was to cover his own Christian rear end, which he did in a public statement as soon as news of the arrests flashed across the nation. He was very quick to deflect evidence of the support, financial and otherwise, that flowed between his ministry and “this so-called” Christian Front. “For some time they have been praising me, holding meetings in my name, and pretending to collect money for my support,” Coughlin said. “I have roundly disavowed them. Moreover, following Oct. 25 of last year, they sent me a check of some $1,000 which I returned to them in a public manner, telling them that I would not accept any such kind of money and advocating my followers to have nothing to do with such organizations.” (This was a lie, as far as anybody could tell, from the man who had in fact been telling his entire listening flock that it was time to organize themselves into Christian Front militia units and that the time was coming to go “Franco’s way.”)