There’s a lot of talk about toxicity and division.

You can see it when you log onto social media, or turn on certain stations.

You’ll see a sour-faced television presenter or hear a loud radio host who is here to convince you that some group, that “they” - whoever “they” are - are the reason things are bad. But the template for that came from Southeast Michigan, starting in the late 1920s and running through the 1930s.

If you listen to recordings of Father Coughlin - known as the radio priest with the full name of Charles Edward Coughlin - you’ll hear the echoes of the discord we have today. He led a church at 12 Mile and Woodward in Royal Oak; and broadcasted from the Golden Tower of the Fisher Building, syndicating anti-semitism throughout the nation.

Coughlin supported the policies of Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and other, let’s just say, not great people. He questioned the value of free elections.

He shared and endorsed fraudulent texts that outlined a conspiracy for Jews to take over the world. He even had a militia in New York that followed his orders. And here’s the kicker. He was so popular the Royal Oak post office was built to support all of his fan mail. In order to move forward, we need to know our past.

So meet Andrew Lapin who has made a whole podcast called "Radioactive," a multi-part series that dives into the story and how Father Coughlin manipulated radio for his own ends. Be sure to check it out here: https://www.tabletmag.com/podcasts/radioactive

Plus, a couple things to know around town.