But wouldn't 'Mexican flu' be offensive, too?

You gotta love political correctness in a time of crisis.

From the AP:

JERUSALEM (AP) — The outbreak of swine flu should be renamed "Mexican" influenza in deference to Muslim and Jewish sensitivities over pork, said an Israeli health official Monday.

Deputy Health Minister Yakov Litzman said the reference to pigs is offensive to both religions and "we should call this Mexican flu and not swine flu," he told a news conference at a hospital in central Israel.

Both Judaism and Islam consider pigs unclean and forbid the eating of pork products.

Hey, far be it from me to knock anyone's religious beliefs. But I think a disease that has killed nearly 150 people and sickened thousands could appropriately be named after something that is "unclean." Look at it this way -- it's not the person who's unclean, it's the disease.