For the past few days as we've told the story of the egregious human rights violations and criminal neglect of Kastellio Vaughn I see people asking some form of this question...What's REALLY going on with him? Because they are having a hard time believing that a prison would actually treat a man as horribly as they are treating him.

Today I want to answer that question very clearly for all of us.

All over this country, but doubly so in Alabama, from slavery until today, incarcerated men and women have been treated like throwaway people - in great part because they are counting on us either never finding out - or not actually caring once we do.

Let me unpack and explain what's really going on.