  :This is nit picking to the extreme... Allow me to quote the OED:  ::di'stinguishing, ppl. a. :::1. Constituting a difference; serving to distinguish or mark off from others; distinctive, characteristic; sometimes in stronger sense, That renders (a person, etc.) distinguished or eminent. :::2. That perceives differences or makes distinctions between things; discriminating.  :Picking one connotation of the word and using it as your grounds for a claim of intentional bias is just silly, so let's not go down that road.  That being said, I see nothing wrong with changing the wording to something like your second proposal since it doesn't change the meaning.   