HoneymoonSuiteattheDowntowner discardedit.Why?BecauseIbelieve impossible,toachieve. MotorInninAnniston,Alabama, theHolySpiritbrokethroughmy Howeverdedicatedwemaybeto followedbyasecondnightattheAlbert blindnessandinsensitivitytothefact thatcause,wealsomustnotignore, PickMotorInninMobile,andthen thatdespiteitsevidentcharmand downplay,orwhitewash(ifthatterm travelingthethirddaytoNewOrleans beauty,inessence,“OakAlley”wasa doesnotoffendthe“woke”culture sowecouldspendourfirstnightinour slavelaborcamp. warriors),theflaws,blindspots,and newapartment. Oncethatfullysoakedintomy evilepisodesthatarepartofAmerica’s Thisdetailedintroductiondoeshave consciousness,andafterIsharedthat story. relevancetotherestofthestory. newcomprehensionwithmywife,we Likeallhumaninstitutions,wehave AsseriousChristianswhobothfelt bothagreedthatithadtoberemoved. carried,andcontinuetocarry,the calledtofull-timeserviceinministry Thetreasuredmemoriesitheldforus grandeurofournation’sdreamof“all (mywifeasacounselorandsocial weredwarfedbythemonstrousand menbeingcreatedequal”inthe workerandmeasapastor),we dehumanizingsystemandcultureit earthenvesselsofourfallible maintainedasexuallychaste symbolized. humanity. relationshipuntilwehadexchanged Forfartoolong,toomanyAmericans Aswetogetherseekthatevermore ourmarriagevows. haveromanticizedtheantebellum perfectUnion,letusalldraw Tomakeupfora72-hour Southandthecivilizationthatwas encouragementandinspirationfrom “honeymoon,”wemadeseveralFriday “GoneWiththeWind.” thevictoriesthatarewon,largeand nightandSaturdayexcursions(Ihadto Letmebeclear—Iamnotawoke small,eventotheremovalofa bebacktopreachonSundaymorning) warriorseeingsystematicracismas cherishedprintwhenitisperceivedina toareassurroundingtheCrescentCity. pervasiveinAmericanlife.Ifeelvery newandmoreenlightenedcontext. Asnewlywedswhohadjustbegunto fortunatetohavebeenraisedintheera Letusallpledgetoeachotherthatas experiencetheuniquejoyandwonder ofthevictoryoftheCivilRights fellowAmericanswewilldiligently ofthe“twobecomingone”through movementledbytheincomparableDr. seektoachieveournationalmotto, God’spricelessgiftofmarriage,those MartinLutherKingJr.Wokeism,and “EPluribusUnum,”“outofmany,one.”* summerweekendexcursionsretaina itsfellowtraveler,“criticalracetheory,” cherished,precious,anduniqueplace undermineseverythingDr.King *ThephraseEPluribusUnumwasadoptedbyanAct inourmemories. symbolized.Inthewokeworldof of Congress in 1782 as the national motto and placed Onesuchtripwastothe“OakAlley” criticalracetheory,everyoneisjudged ontheSealoftheUnitedStates. PlantationinVacherie,Louisiana. bythecoloroftheirskinandnotthe Justifiablyfamous,“OakAlley” natureoftheircharacter. receiveditsnamefromthetowering AsIhavepledgedandasserted oaktreesplantedonbothsidesofthe beforeonthesepagesandelsewhere,I entrancewhichmakesamajestic50- willnevergiveuponDr.King’sdream yard-longdrivewayuptotheplantation ofamulti-ethnicsocietyinwhicheach buildingitself,abeautifulhomein individualisjudgednotbyskin flamingopinkstucco. pigmentation,butbyhisorher Itwasabeautifulholidayandon character. thatdistantJulyweekend,itseemed However,thatdoesnotexcuse magicaltousaswebaskedinthe ignoranceorblindnesstotheracial Dr.LandservedasPresidentof mutualwonderandintimacyofour injusticesthatmarandbesmirchour Southern Evangelical Seminary from July 2013 until July 2021. Upon his newlife’spartner. nation’sstory.Wemustfaceour retirement, he was honored as Ipurchasedaprintof“OakAlley” history,“wartsandall,”andthatwe,as President Emeritus and he continues to serve as an Adjunct Professor of andwehaditframedandplacedover Americans,regardlessofourethnicity, Theology & Ethics. Dr. Land previously served as theheadboardinourbedroom.Every havebeentherecipientsofapriceless President of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics timeIlookatit,Iamremindedofthat nationallegacydedicatedto“liberty &Religious Liberty Commission (1988�2013� where he wasalsohonoredasPresidentEmeritusuponhis incandescentsummerweekendwith andjusticeforall,”nomatterhowlong retirement. itspromiseofalifetimejourneywith it maytake. Dr. Land has also served as an Executive Editor and columnist for The Christian Post since 2011. my“Eve.” Indenyingthatnationalheritage, Dr. Land explores many timely and critical topics in his However,wehavenowremovedthe ourcountry’sharshestcriticsmake daily radio feature, “Bringing Every Thought Captive,” “OakAlley”printfromourwalland thatjourneymoredifficult,ifnot andinhisweeklycolumnforCP. Christianpost.com 19