The Porcine Pardon: Hog Named 6-7 Pardoned by Miami-Dade Mayor.
While perhaps not at the same level as pardoning Thanksgiving turkeys, but the mayor of Miami-Dade had her own presidential-style act this week by ritually sparing the life of a pig named Six Seven.
Daniella Levine Cava performed the seasonal stunt at the Cuban-themed Latin Cafe 2000 in the core of Miami’s iconic Little Havana neighborhood.
“The swine has done no wrong. Clemency is justified for her. She has committed zero crimes,” Levine Cava said in a speech with clear references to the sheer volume of pardons issued from the start of the beginning of a new presidential term.
“Except perhaps for eating half a dozen apples per day,” the mayor added. “Let this swine have a prosperous future away from worry.”
This ceremony, which both honors and questions the area's customary feast of consuming swine during the holidays, was created to mirror the yearly bird sparing at the White House.
The swine, provided by a Coral Gables firefighter, was given its name from the current slang trend of young people yelling “six seven” – deriving from a rap song lyric – often for no discernable reason. The trend became so ubiquitous that a leading lexicon site recently made “6-7” its annual vocabulary selection.
A New Life
This particular pig is now scheduled to spend its days at a rural sanctuary “distant from barbecues and spits”, according to the ceremony's official statement.
“The annual pig pardon has become a cherished method to begin the end-of-year celebrations,” said Eric Castellanos, in a particularly upbeat message.
“It represents the character of Miami: vibrant, multicultural, and based in heritage that unite the community. Annually, we are proud to celebrate culture and compassion in a way unique to Miami.”
Participants enjoyed a vegetarian menu of croquettes and cafecito as they toasted Six Seven’s big moment.
