Achoo! Swine flu?

Sunshine State residents who feel under the weather should know that Florida has had 141 confirmed swine flu deaths. Sounds to me like Florida residents would do well to learn about ways to stop the spread of swine flu—hence our action in Jacksonville this morning.

PETA "pig" and his peeps, decked out in our new swine flu masks, handed out copies of our "Vegetarian Starter Kit" to passersby.

Evidence is growing that the meat industry is responsible for the swine flu outbreak, just as it was largely responsible for outbreaks of MRSA, mad cow, E. coli, and bird flu. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, studies have shown that 30 to 50 percent of pigs raised for food in the U.S. have been infected with some strain of swine flu. That shouldn't come as any surprise, considering that jam-packed, filthy factory farms are breeding grounds for disease.

The best way to help guard against future swine flu outbreaks? Swear off the ham, Spam, and snouts—and go vegan.

Posted by Karin Bennett

rockinontheblog / CC

Well, we tried—but our permit to set up a factory farm display on the steps of the U.S. Capitol has been denied. Apparently, the Capitol Police thought that such a display posed "significant public health concerns about the possible spread of the H1N1 virus."

Hmm. That just might have been our point.

So, it's not safe to allow members of congress and lobbyists to be exposed to factory farms, but it looks like tough luck for the millions of Americans in rural areas who have to live amidst the poisonous waste of factory farms. And although the president has declared swine flu a national emergency, the government continues to prop up the industry that caused the crisis (to the tune of $62.6 million in one year alone—with the possibility of $250 million more in the coming fiscal year).

What do you think?

Posted by Amanda Schinke

Now that the World Health Organization has declared the swine flu outbreak "a pandemic," I'm going to predict that PETA's "flu prevention" mask will sneak past blinged-out cell phones as the must-have accessory this summer. I have a feeling that fashionistas and health officials all over the world will soon agree with me.

Despite denials issued by big pig farms and the change in the name of the illness, funnyman Jim Carrey hit the nail right on the head when he said, "There wouldn't be a swine flu if we treated the pigs better!"

PETA's swine flu mask will serve as a reminder of that.

Posted by Karin Bennett

nymag / CC

"The government does not want us to call it the swine flu. They're calling it the 2009 H1N1 virus. The reason for the change is they want people to know you can still eat all the pork you want without any risk to your health, except diabetes, obesity, and heart disease."

That's Jimmy Kimmel's take on swine flu, as quoted in the New York Times.

And, if you're inclined to take a trip down Memory Lane, here's Jimmy Kimmel's take on PETA's Alicia Silverstone and Super Bowl ads.

We love Jimmy!

Posted by Shawna Flavell