Why is Alabama using federal COVID relief funds to build prisons?

President Joe Biden signed a major $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package that provided funds to cities and states around the country to recover from devastating effects of the pandemic. Regardless of widespread condemnation and criticism, Alabama’s Republican Gov. Kay Ivey and the state legislature have pushed through plans to use a significant portion of those federal COVID-19 relief funds for the construction of new prison complexes. In this episode of Rattling the Bars, TRNN Executive Producer Eddie Conway speaks with Pastor Kenneth Glasgow, founder of The Ordinary People Society, about the shocking move by the state of Alabama to divert desperately needed relief funds to build up its carceral system.<br /><br />Pre-Production/Studio/Post-Production: Cameron Granadino<br /><br />Help us continue producing Rattling the Bars by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer: <br /><br />Donate: <a href="https://therealnews.com/donate-pod-rtb" rel="noopener">https://therealnews.com/donate-pod-rtb</a><br />Sign up for our newsletter: <a href="https://therealnews.com/nl-pod-rtb" rel="noopener">https://therealnews.com/nl-pod-rtb</a><br /><br />Get Rattling the Bars updates: <a href="https://therealnews.com/up-pod-rtb" rel="noopener">https://therealnews.com/up-pod-rtb</a><br /><br />Like us on Facebook: <a href="https://facebook.com/therealnews" rel="noopener">https://facebook.com/therealnews</a><br />Follow us on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/therealnews" rel="noopener">https://twitter.com/therealnews</a>