On September 4, 2004, a tropical storm hit Jacksonville. The conversation with Jill Stein in the university auditorium was scheduled for 5.30 pm, which at that time was dark due to the storm. To reduce the audience, the Democratic Party Committee decided to hold a speech by Kamala Harris’ Senate candidates on the same campus, at Jacksonville University’s College of Business, an hour earlier, when there was almost no parking left .
At the end of the conversation, someone in the audience protested that I had been “too nice” to Stein. Upon leaving I recognized him as a democratic activist, a kind person as far as I had known him.
“I’m not a journalist,” I told him; The idea here was to delve deeper into Stein’s ideas.
I don’t like the game of being the lead interviewer, like Jorge Ramos of Univisión, who harasses the interviewee. Maybe this is why I have always considered the Spaniard Jesús Quintero a master of the genre, because of those interviews full of silences, almost psychoanalytic.
From the auditorium we went to share a frugal dinner in a museum room in a nearby building, reserved by my colleagues to thank Jill, former MP and Green Party coordinator Jason Call, and their team for the effort to get there.
The dinner had been left by the university catering. Without waiters and without an audience, my colleagues and I were able to share an interesting conversation that I won’t detail because it took place in a private space. Yes, I can connect a single idea to the elections and the global tragedy into which we sink deeper and deeper every day.
I told Jill, sitting next to me, that a few years ago I was at Deutsche Welle in Berlin and the senior journalist I had dinner with after the event said she was the wife of the German Green Party leader, Cem Özdemir, then a member of Congress and currently Minister of Agriculture of Germany. Özdemir accepted my invitation to give a conference in Florida at the end of 2019, but the German police discovered a plan by the American branch of the most violent neo-Nazi group of the century, Atomwaffen Division (AWD), to make an attempt on his life and trip it was cancelled.
So much for our coincidence with the greens of Europe. Jill told us about an important difference that the Green Party in the United States had with the German one: Ukraine.
I will only add that Jill Stein’s assessment of the problem and position completely coincides with mine. I will explain my position, to understand what Stein said that night without saying what he said.
When President Biden withdrew American troops from Afghanistan, he left behind millions of dollars in tanks and other military arsenal. After twenty years of occupation, almost ten years after (supposedly) finding and executing Osama bin Laden, suddenly the US military was leaving as quickly as it had left Vietnam. After twenty years, the Americans have lost 14 billion dollars (seven times that of Brazil) in Afghanistan alone, not by establishing schools and hospitals but with a project of military domination that has only favored drug trafficking and private companies, as demonstrated by Wall Street Journal.
After 20 years, Washington has put the CIA’s prodigal sons, the Taliban, back into the government of Afghanistan, after eliminating another of its prodigal sons, Osama bin Laden. Round agreement: create more problems to invest more in new war solutions.
As we said before, part of the United States’ failures in wars other than simple aerial bombing is due not only to its inefficiency, but also to the fact that losing wars is big business for the private corporations that dominate the politics and narrative of the village . In an article we warned that all that remained was to wait for a new war, that this mysterious dissolution could only be explained by the urgency of a new plan underway.
Then came Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Previously, many of us agreed that NATO had done everything possible to make this happen, convincing Zelensky (Washington’s puppet, a professional clown) to confirm Ukraine’s NATO membership process. NATO, Hitler’s dream (two of its directors were Hitler’s assistants), once again failed to achieve its goal of increasing tensions to extend the hegemony of the Alpha Male, the Anglo-Saxon West, which began immediately after the end of the Second War. and could be resolved with Stalin’s 1952 proposal, known as the “Stalin Notes.”
In March 2022, Le Monde de Paris published a page in which it described me and Paco Ignacio Taibo II as “pro-Putin left-wing intellectuals”, although before and after that report I did not miss the opportunity to clarify that I did not approve of the invasion, but it seemed to me criminal hypocrisy to want to write history from that day on, without considering the long harassment, massacres of the Russian population of Donbass and the Western coup against the democratically elected president Viktor Yanukovych. .
They are not “pro-someone” but “pro-cause”, as the cause of the Non-Interference of one country in the policies of another, as if it were a problem between cowboys and Indians, where the aggressors are always described as the victims of the reaction . The old and permanent interventionism, the mother of all the problems of the countries of the South of the world… After all, this was the coincidence, that night of September 4th.
On November 1, a statement from the European Greens urged Jill Stein to withdraw from the election and support Kamala Harris to avoid a fascist Trump government. They are worried about the chaos they created in Ukraine, not the genocide they created in Palestine.
Democrats insisted on blaming Jill Stein for a possible defeat, but did nothing to prevent electoral suicide, pointedly ignoring the claims of millions of Democrats furious about the genocide in Palestine. Every time Kamala Harris was questioned at one of her political rallies, she silenced the protests by saying “I’m speaking,” and then continuing as if it were a memorized script: “It’s true, it’s an important issue, but it’s not Now.” I’m not here to talk about this but about other important issues, such as the cost of food at the supermarket.”
More insensitive hypocrisy, more arrogance are not possible. To top it off, her husband happily announced that he will place a mezuzah at the entrance to the White House, which there would be nothing wrong with in a private home if not for the time and place. Then Bill Clinton tried to calm the protests over Gaza by saying that Israel has special rights because King David would have been there 3,000 years ago.
So, gentle democrats, stop crying about impending national fascism if you are primarily responsible for global fascism.
Time.news Interview: Understanding Global Conflicts Through the Lens of Political Activism
Editor: Good evening, and welcome to this engaging session on global politics. Today, we’re fortunate to have Dr. Jill Stein, former Green Party presidential candidate and a distinguished advocate for political reform and environmental sustainability. Jill, thank you for joining us this evening.
Jill Stein: Thank you for having me. It’s great to be here.
Editor: Let’s begin with your recent conversation at Jacksonville University, held during a rather intense tropical storm. It seems like a backdrop steeped in symbolism, given the turbulent nature of contemporary politics. What were your main takeaways from that evening?
Jill Stein: Well, the storm was certainly a reminder of the environmental crises we’re facing, which impinge on many levels of society. During the discussion, we touched upon crucial issues, including not just domestic policy, but global conflicts and the roles that countries play, particularly the United States.
Editor: Speaking of global conflicts, your perspective on the recent war in Ukraine has drawn a bit of attention. Can you clarify the distinction you made between the American Green Party and the German Green Party’s stance on this issue?
Jill Stein: Absolutely. While both parties seek to promote peace and environmental justice, the U.S. Green Party has to navigate a more complex landscape, particularly regarding military interventions. We must acknowledge that NATO’s expansion and actions have significantly exacerbated tensions that led to the current war. The German perspective, historically, is shaped by a different geopolitical context.
Editor: Very interesting. It seems that there’s often a narrative crisis where the complexities of international relations get oversimplified. After your conversation, I remember one audience member pointed out that you were “too nice” to your opponents. What’s your view on maintaining a civil discourse in such charged times?
Jill Stein: I think it’s essential to foster dialogue rather than antagonism. While I understand the frustration from activists, the objective should be to engage with ideas deeply—much like the quiet yet probing style of Jesús Quintero, whom I admire. Aggressive questioning doesn’t encourage understanding. We need to draw out the deeper implications of our discussions, especially with pressing issues like climate crisis and war.
Editor: After the talk, you had an intimate dinner with supporters. It must have been refreshing to have a candid conversation in a private setting. How do these behind-the-scenes dialogues influence your activism?
Jill Stein: Dinner conversations often yield richer insights because there’s a sense of trust and openness that you don’t find in a public forum. Sharing experiences and concerns over a meal can lead to fruitful discussions about strategies for activism and understanding broader patterns, like the cyclical nature of war and how military inefficiencies often serve the interests of powerful corporations.
Editor: You mentioned a connection to the German Green Party and how their leadership was almost affected by extremist threats. In light of that, how do you assess the current political climate regarding rising extremism?
Jill Stein: It’s alarming. The rise of extremist groups and the normalization of violent rhetoric is deeply concerning. History teaches us that when societies fail to check such movements, the consequences can be dire. Our conversation at dinner highlighted that the focus must be on uniting against hatred and misunderstanding, fostering an inclusive dialogue.
Editor: As we look ahead towards the next election cycle, how do you see the role of your party evolving in the current political landscape?
Jill Stein: The Green Party has a vital role in pushing for issues that mainstream parties often overlook—like universal healthcare, climate justice, and the anti-militarism agenda. But for us to succeed, we must emphasize coalition-building and grassroots mobilization. The tragic failures of past American interventions must inform our future.
Editor: Thank you, Jill. Your insights are invaluable as we navigate through these tumultuous times. We hope to continue this necessary dialogue and understand the interconnectedness of these global issues.
Jill Stein: Thank you. It’s been my pleasure.
Editor: And thank you to our audience for tuning in. Stay engaged, and let’s work towards a more just and peaceful world.