The Resume

(June 1, 1924-April 12, 2006)
Born in New York City, New York
Presbyterian clergyman
Chaplin of Yale University (1958-75)
Senior minister at interdenominational Riverside Church in New York City (1977-87)
Civil rights and anti-war activist
Founding member of Clergy and Laity Concerned about Vietnam (1965)

Why he might be annoying:

Before enrolling in divinity school, he worked for the CIA.
When George W. Bush was a freshman at Yale and his father lost a Senate election to Ralph Yarborough, Coffin made a point of telling him, 'The better man won.' (According to Dubya; Coffin denied the story.)
After he said young men would be 'morally justified' in turning in their draft cards, he was convicted (with Dr. Benjamin Spock and two others) of conspiracy to aid and abet draft resistance (June, 1969).
He was lampooned in 'Doonesbury' as Rev. Scott Sloan, 'the thoroughly modern minister.'
He left the pulpit at Riverside to campaign against nuclear weapons full-time.
He was married three times, divorced twice.

Why he might not be annoying:

He ran the first training program for the Peace Corps (1961).
He was arrested three times during desegregation protests in the South (1961,1963-64).
His conspiracy conviction was overturned on appeal (1970).
He traveled to Tehran at his own expense to help the hostages at the US embassy celebrate Christmas (1979).
His son Alex died in a car crash (1983).
He said, 'People who fear disorder more than injustice will only produce more of both.'
He said, 'If I am lucky enough to see God one day, I'll have a few questions. But God will have many more to ask me, if he's keeping tabs.'

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 33]
• Celebrity Juniors
• Civil Rights Activists
• I Attended Phillips Academy [Andover, Massachusetts]
• I Attended Yale
• I Died in 2006 (Ranked: 81)
• I Had a Stroke [Cerebral Vascular Accident]
• I Outlived My Child
• I Worked at the C.I.A.
• Influenced by Reinhold Niebuhr
• Look at My Mug Shot
• Playboy Interview Subjects [1960s] (Ranked: 1968)
• Profiles 30251-30500 (Ranked: 30386)
• Served in World War II
• Yale's Skull and Bones Society

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 7 Votes: 28.57% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 87.50% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 14 Votes: 78.57% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 22 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 9 Votes: 77.78% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 21 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 61 Votes: 62.30% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 21 Votes: 52.38% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 29 Votes: 62.07% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 34 Votes: 73.53% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 35 Votes: 62.86% Annoying