This Swine Life: Pig Named 6-7 Spared by Miami-Dade Mayor.
It might not have been at the identical stature as pardoning Thanksgiving turkeys, but the Miami-Dade County mayor conducted a ceremonial pardon event this week by formally pardoning the life of a swine named Six Seven.
Daniella Levine Cava executed the holiday gesture at the Cuban-style Latin Cafe 2000 in the core of Miami’s iconic Little Havana neighborhood.
“This animal is guiltless. She is worthy of this pardon. No offenses are on her docket,” stated the mayor in a speech with inescapable allusions to the extraordinary and sizable number of executive clemencies issued from the start of the commencement of a second term in office.
“If we disregard eating 6 or 7 apples per day,” the mayor added. “May this pig enjoy a lengthy and joyful existence free from concern.”
This ceremony, simultaneously observing and challenging the local cultural practice of consuming swine during the holidays, was established to replicate the traditional fowl clemency at the White House.
The pig, contributed by a Coral Gables firefighter, was given its name from the popular vernacular phrase of young people yelling “six-seven” – deriving from a hip-hop line – often seemingly at random. The phrase became so ubiquitous that a leading lexicon site recently declared “six-seven” its top term for the year.
A New Life
The pardoned swine is now scheduled to spend its days at a countryside refuge “away from grills and cookware”, according to the ceremony's official statement.
“The pig pardon has become a beloved tradition to begin the end-of-year celebrations,” said Eric Castellanos, in a notably cheerful message.
“It represents the character of Miami: joyful, varied, and rooted in traditions that unite the community. Annually, we are proud to celebrate tradition and kindness in a way only Miami can.”
Participants enjoyed a meat-free selection of spinach fritters and Cuban coffee as they marked the pig's pardon.
