Ben & Jerry’s Facing Backlash Over Controversial July 4th Statement

Knowledge Nuggets:

• Ben & Jerry’s sparked controversy by declaring the United States “exists on stolen Indigenous land” and suggested it be returned.
• The statement prompted a backlash, with critics threatening a boycott and the parent company losing billions in market cap.
• Chief Don Stevens of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation expressed interest in “reclaiming” the land where the company’s headquarters is located.

Ben & Jerry’s, the ice cream company known for its “woke” marketing, has ignited a storm of controversy following a contentious July 4th statement on social media.

In the post, the company denounced the United States as “existing on stolen Indigenous land” and urged that it be returned.

The bold claim quickly sparked a wave of backlash from patriots and customers alike. High-profile figures criticized the company, with some threatening a boycott.

This backlash has seen Ben & Jerry’s parent company, Unilever, reportedly lose billions in market cap.

The original post, as reported by TheBlaze, stated: “This 4th of July, it’s high time we recognize that the US exists on stolen Indigenous land and commit to returning it.” The company also claimed traditional July 4th celebrations such as parades, barbecues, and fireworks were “problematic.”

The suggestion was also made that the U.S. should hand over Mount Rushmore to the Lakota Sioux.

The company’s statement reduced the four presidents depicted on Mount Rushmore, including Abraham Lincoln, to “colonizers,” accusing them of seeking to destroy Indigenous cultures and rights.

They argued that returning these territories would help dismantle “white supremacy and systems of oppression.”

The reaction to this controversial statement was prompt and fierce.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) told Fox News, “We should be proud of America and knock off what Ben & Jerry’s is doing. They don’t have any idea what they’re doing.”

Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah also expressed his dissatisfaction, tweeting, “Your once-good ice cream now sucks. … You just guaranteed that I (a once-loyal customer) will never consume a single pint of it.”

Others echoed these sentiments.

Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) referred to the statement as “some ill-thought out liberal virtue signaling rant.”

The financial impact of the backlash has been immediate.

Shares of Unilever, Ben & Jerry’s parent company, slid 0.8% after dropping 0.5% the previous day.

The overall decrease reflected a near $2 billion drop in market cap.

Furthermore, Chief Don Stevens of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation has expressed interest in “reclaiming” the land currently occupied by the company’s headquarters, putting Ben & Jerry’s call to return “stolen land” to the test.

Source