The Porcine Pardon: Pig Named 6-7 Spared by Miami Dade County Mayor.
It might not have been at the equivalent scale as pardoning festive fowl, but the Miami-Dade County mayor experienced 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 iconic Little Havana neighborhood.
“This animal is guiltless. Clemency is justified for her. Her criminal record is spotless,” Levine Cava said in a speech with clear references to the extraordinary and sizable number of executive clemencies issued from the start of the onset of a second term in office.
“Except perhaps for eating 6 or 7 apples per day,” Levine Cava continued. “May this pig enjoy a long and happy life without fear.”
This ceremony, which both honors and questions the region’s Hispanic tradition of feasting on pork during the holidays, was founded to replicate the annual turkey pardoning at the White House.
The swine, donated by a first responder, was named for the popular vernacular phrase of young people exclaiming “6-7” – originating from a musical verse – often for no discernable reason. The phrase became so pervasive that a major dictionary recently declared “six-seven” its annual vocabulary selection.
A New Life
The pardoned swine is now destined to live out its days at a rural sanctuary “distant from barbecues and spits”, according to the organizers' announcement.
“The annual pig pardon has become one of our favorite ways to open the holiday season,” said the event host, in a particularly upbeat message.
“It embodies the essence of Miami: joyful, diverse, and based in heritage that unite the community. Every time, we are delighted to mark tradition and kindness in a way distinctively Miamian.”
Guests enjoyed a plant-based fare of croquettes and strong coffee as they celebrated Six Seven’s big moment.
