Runaway Girls, Runaway Fears

The 1960s promised a revolution—civil rights, moon landings, peace, love, and rock and roll. But it also brought riots, rising drug use, and missing kids. By decade’s end, American parents weren’t just worried—they were terrified. This episode follows Art Linkletter, America’s beloved TV host, whose daughter Diane fell to her death in 1969. The official ruling? Suicide. But Linkletter blamed LSD and the counterculture, launching an anti-drug crusade that aligned him with President Nixon and fueled the War on Drugs. We’ll trace the growing panic over runaway girls, the Manson murders, and the impact of Go Ask Alice—a shocking bestseller that warned parents of the horrors awaiting their children. But was Alice a window into reality, or the invention of an author manipulating the fears of a generation? Finally, we’ll land in the early 1970s when a different movement was rising. The Jesus People Movement pulled young hippies into a rock-fueled Christian revival, culminating in Explo ‘72, a massive Dallas event dubbed the “Christian Woodstock.” Was this a spiritual awakening—or another front in the culture war? With guests Rick Emerson and Daniel Silliman, we unpack the fears that shaped the era—and what happens when paranoia and politics collide. Resources: Rick Emerson, Unmask Alice Daniel Silliman, One Lost Soul Nixon Library Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a production of Christianity Today Hosted and written by Mike Cosper Produced by Rebekah Sebastian, with production assistance by Dawn Adams Sound Design and Mix Engineer: TJ Hester Sound Design, Animation and Video: Steve Scheidler Graphic Design: Nim Ben Reuven Music by Dirt Poor Robins Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper are the executive producers of CT Media Podcasts, and Matt Stevens is our senior producer. Special thanks to Hephzibah House for use of their recording studio   If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review to help more people find the show. Thanks for listening.   Join our Facebook group for deeper conversations and behind the scenes content.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices