In all the controversy over the FDA's approval of RU-486, the abortion pill, no one has discussed the best and most critical use of the drug: as a morning-after pill. Partly this is because of the argument brought to bear by activists (both right-wing and left-wing) that abortion is a moral issue. It's not. Abortion is, first and foremost, a form of birth control. The far right opposes abortion for the same reason that they oppose birth control for their teenage daughters and sons, while obviously using it themselves: it's an issue of control. Activists on the left who insist that women must feel guilty for having abortions are out of touch: many, many women have used this form of birth control with a feeling, not of guilt, but of immense relief. Fortunately, the American Medical Association has cut through the bullshit. The AMA has asked the FDA to make RU-486 available over the counter for use as a morning-after pill. There are two current formulations of RU-486 ("Preven" and "Plan B") available as a morning after pill, but women need to get a prescription for them first, which means they're not widely used. RU-486 must be taken within three days of sexual intercourse in order to prevent a pregnancy. But before the FDA can decide to make RU-486 available over the counter, a pharmaceutical company has to apply for that use. Women's Capital Corp. of Bellevue, the maker of Plan B, is currently working on its application to the FDA.- Maria Tomchick

In late November, the UN reported an ominous escalation in the violence in Gaza and the West Bank--one that went unreported here in the U.S. The Manchester Guardian Weekly carried the story in their November 30 issue. Since November 15, the day 10 Palestinians were shot during celebrations over their declaration of independence, the Israeli Defense Forces have largely set aside their rubber bullets and switched to live ammunition. The UN report also found that Israeli troops are targeting the head and upper body, which is the main cause of over 400 deaths and 9,000 injuries--almost a third of them children below the age of 16--among Palestinian protesters. On December 6, an Israeli human rights group, Betselem, accused Israeli soldiers of routinely firing on unarmed Palestinian demonstrators, even in situations when the soldiers' lives were not in danger (Mark Lavie, AP, 12/7/00). Betselem, whose members observed Palestinian demonstrations and IDF responses from October through early November, reported that most of the Palestinians were killed or wounded during incidents that involved no Palestinian gunfire. Recent reports from Mark Lavie tell of a campaign by the IDF to assassinate Palestinian activists, six of whom have been killed in the past ten day--three died in a hail of automatic weapons fire outside their own homes.--M.T.

Earlier this month Microsoft agreed to settle two lawsuits filed on behalf of 8,000 temporary workers for a cash payment of $97 million. The "permatemp" cases charged that Microsoft had hired "temporary" employees for long periods of time and refused to pay them benefits or allow them to participate in the company's stock purchase plan. Many of the temps had worked there longer than "permanent" employees; in some cases, the permatemps had been at Microsoft as long as ten years. The abuse of temporary workers is not isolated to Microsoft or the high tech industry. The law firm that represented the Microsoft permatemps has also filed suit against Arco, the City of Bellevue, the state of Washington, King County, and Los Angeles County on behalf of permatemps. Meanwhile, the state Department of Labor & Industries has revoked the certification of Wal-Mart's self-administered workers-compensation plan. This is the first time ever that L&I has canceled a company's self insurance program. In a 14-page disciplinary order, L&I reports that Wal Mart failed to pay its injured workers, cut off benefits too soon, and prevented its workers from filing accident forms. Wal-Mart operates 24 Wal-Mart stores and 2 Sam's Club stores in Washington, and runs self administered workers-compensation programs in five other states. --M.T.

The most encouraging mail ETS! has gotten in a long, long time was a copy of The Receiver, a 10-page, 8 1/2" x 11" underground newspaper put out by some necessarily anonymous malcontents at Garfield High School. Don't buy for a second the bullshit that all teens are unthinking, consumption-addicted, compliant fodder. Here's hope. It is, alas, rather male adolescent in tone, but these folks are also articulate, rebellious, and often very funny. ("11 years of public schooling have instilled in Joe a deep-seated tendency toward blind allegiance, and a fierce passion for the oppression of others. With qualities like these, Joe could go far in the corporate world...") They're also righteously pissed--particularly at the notion that constitutional rights don't apply to students. The story of the GHS student suspended for creating an "offensive" web site at home should make any non authoritarian adult's hair stand on end. Great stuff. Contact them at receiver@internettrash.com. --Geov Parrish

Last issue, ETS! writer Rick Giombetti reported on a joint local/FBI "anti- terrorism" task force set up in Portland specifically to target political groups. An alert ETS! reader sent a clipping from the 9-11-00 Scab-Intelligencer reporting that the same thing has happened in Seattle. "Seattle to house FBI anti-terrorism team" describes a task force designed to target "white supremacist violence or...terrorist bomb plots...Joining the FBI will be representatives of the Customs Service, Secret Service, INS, IRS, Washington State Patrol, King County Sheriff's Office, Port of Seattle Police, Naval Criminal Investigation Service and the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security." Now, why all these federal brownshirts would care about Seattle is anyone's guess, given that there hasn't been an act of "terrorism" in our region since Capitol Hill gay bars were bombed in the '80s--a crime these guys would probably endorse. There was, of course, the Algerian scare last December, and feds used the specter of biological attacks '80s--a crime these guys would probably endorse. There was, of course, the Algerian scare last December, and feds used the specter of biological attacks to justify the deployment of the Army's Delta Force to spy on political activists during anti-WTO protests--a clear violation of Posse Comitatus. The article casually notes that not only will a similar task force also be set up in Spokane to "have a special emphasis on domestic terrorism," but that thirty such task forces have been formed nationwide. Even by law enforcement standards, that's an astonishing waste of taxpayer money, given how few "terrorist" incidents actually occur--unless, of course, the intent is a little broader. While the far right has long been sounding the alarm about the FBI and other federal political police, the left has been far too comfortable with such developments, happy to see life be a little less easy for white supremacists. But Nazis have free speech rights, too, and it's an easy leap from targetting them to targetting critics of, say, George W. Bush. We've already seen, in Seattle, D.C., Philadelphia, and Los Angeles, a steadily escalating coordinated attack on the right to dissent of the Seattle-sparked anti- Seattle, D.C., Philadelphia, and Los Angeles, a steadily escalating coordinated attack on the right to dissent of the Seattle-sparked anti- corporate state movement. The more effective we are, the more likely we are to be in these goons' crosshairs. Be very afraid. And fight back. --GP

There's an unfortunate progressive subtext to all the post-election rhetoric being slewn around these days, and it's coming from progressives. Just like George W., a lot of Greens are spouting the "we all must heal and move forward" schtick, referring, of course, to trying to re recruit those progressives that bolted for Gore when the going got hairy and the pressure got nasty this election.

It's a very nice sentiment. From a party-building standpoint, it's also a waste of time. This election was a reality check for the Greens, particularly in Seattle, where there has been no stigma attached to claiming membership as both a Green and Democrat (e.g., Steinbrueck, Firestone). If the Greens are ever going to become a significant electoral force, it will be with new voters and the folks who stuck with Nader this year--people who don't choose Democrat when forced to choose. Because the Dems will always claim that this election is the most urgent, that the Repug opponent is the most evil ever, that the whole (Supreme Court, environment, whatever) is at stake, and that their guy, despite the record of his or her entire career, is a new-born populist. Greens need to focus on building a base that will stand up to those lies- not "heal" with Nader-bashers who might vote Green if and only if it's irrelevant. Sure, Greens can and should work with Democrats; centrist (and rich) Dems and Republicans work together all the time. But don't mistake "healing" for building a party. That will come from doing good work on the ground with the people already in place. --GP