Monday, May 04, 2009

Another Check-In From Mexico City

Andrew MacDonald brings us more first hand thoughts on the Swine Flu Scare in Mexico City.

I'm not sure what to think. It definitely feels troubling that everything is closed from an aspect of wanting to enjoy the city. Not to mention that for an already-precarious economy and society with little safety net in terms of social welfare, many people are getting pinched...I still go out a lot on my bike and such to take photos, but with mask of course.. Which sucks,'cuz its hot as hell here. Not to mention the psychological aspect of having to wear a mask all the time.

There's different opinions about the whole outbreak. Some people think it's politics of fear at work and aren't buying it, some people are freaked out to no end, and others are outraged because they think it's a corporate cover-up on behalf of a factory hog farm in the state of Veracruz. Many believe that this unsanitary, polluted hog farm(half owned by an American company) is the reason for all of this. The farm is called "Granja Carroll" and is owned by Smithfield foods out of Virginia. Supposedly villagers have been outspoken for a while about their respiratory illnesses caused by the unsanitary practices of this hog farm, and have received threats for their efforts. Check out this website to see photos and learn more.

Disgusting. Of course they're denying everything, that's par for the course.

The other twist to this whole thing is that there's been no interviews with people who've been infected, no interviews with any family members, there is no information whatsoever about whom the people are that got sick or died, no interviews with Doctors. It's all very mysterious...

I just try and make sure it doesn't control my life and I'm cool. However, who knows what living in an environment like this long-term will feel like?

1 Comments:

Blogger adam said...

I live in Oaxaca and the sense here is that there is definitely some dirty government work going on. It is now striking, protesting season and the last thing the government can deal with in the middle of economic troubles is more year long revolutions like the one in Oaxaca a few years ago. Give the teacher's union their usual striking time off (millions of very politically active teachers) but have them afraid of each other, no getting together. Sell medicines (here they sold thousand of vaccines without telling anyone that a vaccine did not exist) and cuadruple pharmacy prices...hmmm, the owner of the largerst pharmaceutical company in the country is none other than the wife of a former president who robbed hundreds of millions of pesos from the country while he diverted attention with a simliar health scare.... Govern people in their houses, keep them in the microcosmic paternal household constantly bombarded with frightening (media) messages which are soothed by firm (government) (over re)actions. Let the army pass out surgical masks, they are the good guys, let the church hold special radio services, they are the good guys... Elections coming soon, anniversary of the Mexican revolution coming soon. Pig flu my bacon bits. Wash your hands Mexico. It'll be alright.

Mexicanbluefish.

6:56 PM  

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