Two Thousand Too Many: Arkansas鈥檚 Failure to Protect its Homeless Population
By: Paige Topping
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this post are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect views of the Journal, the William H. Bowen School of Law, or 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock
For as long as I have been alive, homelessness has been treated as a political issue and has been shrouded in the false misconception that it is somehow the result of a personal choice. However, as the number of Americans experiencing homelessness has increased, especially , it has become increasingly clear that the crisis of homelessness is both a symptom and product of the government鈥檚 outright failure to protect its citizens. Thus, until the United States government and local governments begin to view homelessness as a, the crisis will only continue, and unsheltered citizens will continue to pay the price for the government鈥檚 failures.
The latter is not an option; considering that today, there are American citizens experiencing homelessness. While it may be convenient for citizens in smaller states and communities to let the media cast the blame for this increase on major cities, the reality is that every single state has contributed and continues to contribute to the rise in numbers we see today. In fact, even Arkansas, a state that has the of homelessness, still has that experience homelessness on a daily basis.
Importantly, 鈥溾�� As if these numbers are not damaging enough on their own, they become even more disparaging in light of the fact that Arkansas does not have adequate shelters for of its homeless population. In fact, and in Arkansas are unsheltered and have nowhere to go. This is especially true in Little Rock, Arkansas鈥檚 capital city, due to the fact that the city does not recognize or provide any sanctioned campgrounds for its unsheltered citizens.
As a result of Arkansas鈥檚 outright failure to provide adequate shelter, or at the very least adequate sanctioned campgrounds, over a thousand Arkansans are left on their own to battle the elements. This is not only an extreme burden, but with Arkansas鈥檚 blistering heat, chilling temperatures, and propensity for severe storms and tornadoes, it can become a death sentence.
, an Arkansas citizen who has battled chronic homelessness for the past, knows this threat all too well. In an interview in 2021, during the record snowfall, Ray stated that,鈥溾�� This fear became a reality when , an unsheltered married couple, during a winter storm in Arkansas just two months ago, in February 2022.
Despite this, and the many other deaths that are either swept under the rug or not reported, Arkansas has still not taken any steps toward ensuring that this extremely preventable tragedy does not occur again. Thus, until the Arkansas government wakes up and realizes that homeless persons are two thousand are too many, Arkansas鈥檚 homeless population will continue to suffer and die at the hands of the government.