The Porcine Pardon: Hog Named Six Seven Pardoned by Miami Dade County Leader.
It might not have been at the equivalent scale as pardoning festive fowl, but the Miami-Dade County mayor conducted a ceremonial pardon event this week by ritually sparing the life of a swine named Six Seven.
Daniella Levine Cava carried out the annual tradition at the Cuban-themed Latin Cafe 2000 in the core of Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood.
“The swine has done no wrong. She is worthy of this pardon. She has committed zero crimes,” Levine Cava said in a speech with inescapable allusions to the vast quantity of pardons issued since the commencement of a new presidential term.
“Except perhaps for eating six or seven apples per day,” she went on. “I hope she experiences a long and happy life without fear.”
The gathering, simultaneously observing and challenging the region’s Hispanic tradition of feasting on pork during the holidays, was created to replicate the yearly bird sparing at the White House.
The animal, provided by a first responder, was given its name from the modern linguistic fad of young people exclaiming “6-7” – deriving from a hip-hop line – often for no discernable reason. The craze became so pervasive that a major dictionary recently made “6-7” its annual vocabulary selection.
A New Life
Six Seven the pig is now set to enjoy its days at a countryside refuge “away from grills and cookware”, according to the organizers' announcement.
“The annual pig pardon has become one of our favorite ways to open the holiday season,” said Eric Castellanos, in a particularly upbeat message.
“It embodies the essence of Miami: joyful, multicultural, and based in heritage that bring people together. Annually, we are proud to celebrate heritage and mercy in a way distinctively Miamian.”
Attendees enjoyed a meat-free selection of croquettes and cafecito as they marked the swine's new lease on life.
