I got electronic communication late Thursday from an organization that a former student of mine helps lead that argued that “swine flu” originated not in Mexico but in a North Carolina pig mega farm (factory farm). It turns out that – as with chickens – megafarms have developed that keep pigs – apparently for their whole lives – penned up in a small, single pen by themselves. Pigs find this stressful, and they’re more likely to get sick. The organization cited some evidence that the mix of pig, bird, and human flu that apparently begat the “swine flu” now infecting humans got it start maybe more than a decade ago in one of a handful of North Carolina pig megafarms.
Ironically, a high school friend of mine – after helping condoize St. Augustine (FL) Beach – got his big break in the construction industry helping build refrigeration for the pig slaughterhouses in North Carolina – slaughterhouses that I suspect killed and processed the pigs that grew up on these megafarms. Refrigeration helped make it possible to ship pig products around the country and around the world. Even with a recent push for people to “buy local” with their groceries, the push towards flying food around the country and the world means that it would be more difficult to contain, to localize an illness like this.
So we may not only be suffering now (by starting to contract “swine flu”) from failing to help Mexico and other countries beef up their health care systems and confront economic inequality and exploitation of people and natural resources by multinational corporations. We may also be suffering from permitting animal rights violations that have come back to haunt us (hence the blog entry title).
Other flu updates: While some affected states cancel some public events, Stephanie and I hung out early Thursday evening at the Pegasus Parade, a huge public event. An outdoor event like this is probably safer than hanging out with a bunch of people – some potentially sick – in an enclosed area (as Vice President Biden somewhat inelegantly reminded us of).
One of Stephanie’s favorite students confided in her that an older brother of hers – who stayed back in Mexico after they all went home for Christmas – is now in the hospital and she and her family fear he has the flu.
-- Perry
Ironically, a high school friend of mine – after helping condoize St. Augustine (FL) Beach – got his big break in the construction industry helping build refrigeration for the pig slaughterhouses in North Carolina – slaughterhouses that I suspect killed and processed the pigs that grew up on these megafarms. Refrigeration helped make it possible to ship pig products around the country and around the world. Even with a recent push for people to “buy local” with their groceries, the push towards flying food around the country and the world means that it would be more difficult to contain, to localize an illness like this.
So we may not only be suffering now (by starting to contract “swine flu”) from failing to help Mexico and other countries beef up their health care systems and confront economic inequality and exploitation of people and natural resources by multinational corporations. We may also be suffering from permitting animal rights violations that have come back to haunt us (hence the blog entry title).
Other flu updates: While some affected states cancel some public events, Stephanie and I hung out early Thursday evening at the Pegasus Parade, a huge public event. An outdoor event like this is probably safer than hanging out with a bunch of people – some potentially sick – in an enclosed area (as Vice President Biden somewhat inelegantly reminded us of).
One of Stephanie’s favorite students confided in her that an older brother of hers – who stayed back in Mexico after they all went home for Christmas – is now in the hospital and she and her family fear he has the flu.
-- Perry
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