The Politics Of Ben And Jerry's
Ben & Jerry's is not shy about their progressive politics. Here are their divisive takes.
Editorial Team
July 27, 2021
The ice cream company has garnered attention for its political takes. Let's dive into them.
"Slavery never really ended"
B&J claims that "Slavery Never Really Ended," ignoring the Thirteenth Amendment and a deadly civil war that ended slavery. For Ben & Jerry's, the incarceration of convicted criminals is a continuation of slavery. Real progress is ignored.
Defunding, Dismantling, and Demonizing The Police
Ben & Jerry's goes a step further than advocating to defund the police. B&J's calls for fully dismantling the system of public safety.
"This system can't be reformed... It must be dismantled" - Ben and Jerry's
Manufacturing Division
B&Js dishonestly politicizes events and manufactures division. They reframed Duante Wright's death for political gain. In reality, it was known immediately that Wright was unintentionally killed and additionally had a charge for first-degree aggravated robbery.
As a result, Wright's death was followed by protests and riots, motivated by activists like B&Js. There was a drive-by shooting against the Minnesota National Guard troops. Dozens of small businesses were looted and destroyed. A man attempted to murder Saint Paul police.
The White Supremacy Scapegoat
Ben & Jerry's use white supremacy as a scapegoat for almost every political issue.
Supporting antisemitic and anti-American activists
Ben & Jerry openly support and defend Linda Sarsour. She's a known antisemite who admires Louis Farrakhan, another known antisemite.
"When police officers in America shoot unarmed black people, Jewish hands lurk in the background" - Linda Sarsour
Ben and Jerry with Linda Sarsour
Support for BDS
B&J's joined the BDS movement against Israel by banning the sale of their ice cream in Israeli "occupied territories".
BDS was condemned by the U.S. State Department because it "unfairly singles out Israel" and calls for the destruction of the Jewish state.
Supporting Transgender Youth Medical Procedures
In a post that reads "Trans Rights Are Human Rights," B&Js describes "anti-transgender legislation" as "hateful and bigoted". This was posted as states were considering passing legislation that protects children from harmful and controversial transitioning therapy. The ice cream company was fighting this initiative.
Support For Reparations
B&J's supports reparations for slavery, again adding to our divisive political climate. Further, they support the propagandist 1619 project and urged politicians to create legislation based on it.
Advocacy Against "Environmental Racism"
B&J's argue that the location of factories, industrial facilities and power plants are "rooted in racism."
Urging Kids To Hand In Their Toy Guns
B&J's partnered with the Marin County D.A. to host a toy gun buyback where children are given ice cream in exchange for turning in their Nerf guns.
Inciting Violence
As tensions in the nation rose, Ben & Jerry's chimed with "silence is not an option". It is common for them to intensify the national dialog at peak times of social division.