Ben & Jerry’s Call to “Dismantle White Supremacy”

Posted on by Sophie Robinson

Ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s has a long history of political activism under founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, so their forceful statement released on the company’s website Tuesday in support of the Black Lives Matter movement does not come as much of a surprise.

What We Know:

  • In recent days, many companies, including giants like Netflix, Nike, and Disney, are issuing public statements condemning racism and injustice, but Ben & Jerry’s statement stands out for being direct and comprehensive and fully supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.
  • The company has affirmed its support for the Black Lives Matter movement since 2016, releasing many articles, including one that urges Congress to pass H.R. 40 and support reparations for Black Americans, one that shares an explanation of systemic racism, and another article supporting front end criminal justice reform. They also released a “Justice Remix’d” ice cream flavor in 2019 to bring awareness to structural racism and criminal justice reform.

    Ben & Jerry’s has released a series of ice cream flavors throughout the years in support of their activism with important issues, including “Justice Remix’d”.
  • The statement, titled “Silence Is NOT An Option”, features a graphic that states “We Must Dismantle White Supremacy”. The statement recognizes some of the many deaths associated with police brutality, including George Floyd.
  • It reads, “the murder of George Floyd was the result of inhumane police brutality that is perpetuated by a culture of white supremacy. What happened to George Floyd was not the result of a bad apple; it was the predictable consequence of a racist and prejudiced system and culture that has treated Black bodies as the enemy from the beginning”.
  • The statement provides “concrete steps to dismantle white supremacy in all its forms”, detailing a four-step plan towards reaching anti-racism in America by calling out systemic racism and advocating for specific legislation and policies to prevent further police abuses.
  • One step to the plan included a plea to President Trump specifically, asking him to “disavow white supremacists and nationalist groups that overtly support him, and by not using his Twitter feed to promote and normalize their ideas and agendas”.
  • The company has been praised by activists across social media on the power of the statement. Their history with activism and the strength of this statement has proved to many the commitment this company has to fight the injustice in America and using their platform for change.

The statement from Ben & Jerry’s is a very worthwhile read in its entirety as it not only shows support to the Black Lives Matters movement but provides steps the United States can take, both legislatively and culturally, to break down systemic racism and end the underlying white supremacy that still exists in our country. You can find the post here.

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