The Story That United A Divided America

We can turn anything into a culture war, from hurricanes to mass shootings to the Super Bowl. But when the mother of Savannah Guthrie disappeared from her Arizona home one night, the nation sat riveted, united in sympathy and support.

Three months ago, Savannah Guthrie went home to Arizona to show off her birthplace and drink a toast with her sister, her mom, Nancy:

She could never have guessed that in the blink of an eye, they’d be living their worst nightmare.

It was looking mighty grim. Blood drops and ransom notes, which were funneled to TMZ and pushed out into the public, something about millions being put into Bitcoin. True crime channels ascended upon the house of Nancy Guthrie, and today, a pizza guy delivered food, walking right up to Nancy’s front door, having no idea where he even was.

The story has dominated Fox News and even CNN. Yes, Jake Tapper had to unplug himself from his Trump obsession to report on missing Nancy Guthrie. Megyn Kelly sidelined all of the news of the day to focus entirely on the case.

It’s not like the news will stop for the New York Times’ war on Trump, but out here in the real world, we weren’t red or blue, but red, white, and blue. At least that’s how it’s felt to me over the last few days. I almost forgot where we were, how much we’re supposed to hate each other. I almost forgot about the war.

Finally, a break in the case where the FBI rousted out the buried footage to show that there was indeed a kidnapper who showed up at the door. Shortly thereafter, they announced they had detained someone for questioning.

I don’t know what it is about Savannah Guthrie and her mom that makes us all feel absent from our political differences and hatred of each other. Maybe we see her pain. Maybe we can’t imagine such a thing happening to our mothers. All I know is that it’s been a long time since we've felt this united around one common goal: bringing Nancy home safe and sound.

Watching the Guthrie family in such extreme pain as this drama plays out is a human story, not a partisan one. How odd to feel that it doesn’t matter which side you are on, you can still care, and still be involved and follow the story.

Since the Left dominates so much of our culture, they demand that all of us STAY OUT. You don’t belong in here, they are always saying, and not just on social media, but in real life too.

This woman posted a TikTok video explaining how to identify Trump supporters and why, if she knew everyone judged her for her choices, she would change them. She would conform. But as it is, she feels perfectly fine in shutting out her enemies over politics. This is the insanity we’ve all lived with for ten years now.

Thinking about how life can change in an instant, as it has now for Savannah Guthrie and her family, our differences have never seemed so petty.

Who knows, maybe the Nancy Guthrie story will become weaponized at some point, depending on the outcome. Then it will be yet another battle in our Virtual Civil War. But for now, it’s a pause in the middle of the movie, a chance to take a breath and remember what really matters, and what doesn’t.

We’re all praying for Nancy’s safe return. Maybe by morning, there will be good news.