Love our fellow man

Although I grew up and spent much of my adult life in Arkansas, I left at age 50 to attend seminary in Austin, Texas, was ordained as a Presbyterian minister in 1989, and spent almost 20 years pastoring in churches in Texas. My husband and I chose to return to Arkansas in 2008 after I retired. We picked Arkansas over Texas because at that time Arkansas seemed to be a progressive Christian state that cared about providing opportunities for a decent life for all its citizens. We moved to Little Rock, and my disillusionment soon began.

In last Sunday’s paper, several articles added to that disillusionment, now having grown great enough I feel compelled to write. The first was an article about the horrible conditions of rental units for poor people and the failure of Arkansas legislators to pass in any form the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, even though it has been presented to the Senate or House at least six times since 2005. This act would require landlords to make rental housing habitable. That hardly seems to be asking too much of apartment owners. I applaud Sue Madison, Robbie Wills, Jon Woods, Greg Leding, Warwick Sabin and Laurie Rushing, who have at least tried to get the problem addressed.

John Brummett’s column dealt with difficulties many poor people face in trying to fill out the paperwork to allow them to remain on the Arkansas Works health insurance program, to raise awareness of the hurdles facing homeless or transient people, those without Internet access or computer literacy, and so on.

Jesus’ second great commandment was to love others as we love ourselves. I fear many of us who consider ourselves Christians ignore that one!

SALLY STOCKLEY JOHNSON

Little Rock