Hearing policy makers scramble to buffer the US pork industry, such as Smithfield Foods et al, from being unfairly tainted by the name “Swine Flu” (because of course you don’t catch Swine Flu from eating their hogs) reminded me of the Killer Coke appellation. Just because it doesn’t kill YOU, is that a reason to let a homicidal operation off the hook?

Coca-cola was assassinating labor leaders in Colombia, by the multiple dozen. Boycotts were organized to bring international pressure on the company. Since then, Coca-Cola has been accused of sundry other crimes, for one, depleting water tables in India and driving farmers to ruin. Coke is a murderous enterprise.

And then of course, to add the final dimension: their syrup water does kill you, plain and simple.

So is it right that the corporate pork industry which creates such environmental damage, which looks to have brewed the recent Swine Flu epidemic, should not be implicated by the un-happenstance of the name Swine Flu?