Sometimes you have to call it what it is

According to the news, it's been reported that we may not refer to this illness as the "Swine Flu." Apparently it is politically incorrect.

It is offensive to the pork industry and we are now, nationally, to refer to this impending pandemic as the H1N1 flu virus. Gimme a break! Who thinks up this stuff? Did Porky & his friends go out picketing the CDC?

I get that many offensive connotations needed to be stopped. It was and always will be harmful to the human race to use such offensive remarks. However, we managed to grow up with the term chickenpox as a recognizable disease without harming the poultry industry. We still call 3-day measles "German measles" without offending our European friends and neighbors.

Do we really have to be so politically correct as to fear our expressions so much so as to not want to offend the pig industry?

Our nation/world needs to get a grip. Not everything needs to be a battle!

Sally McCracken

Streamwood