Ben & Jerry’s claims ‘U.S. exists on stolen land’ in July 4th message

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Cue the fireworks; it’s Bud Light all over again.

Ben & Jerry’s customers have called for a boycott after the ice cream maker claimed the “U.S. exists on stolen land’ in a Fourth of July message.

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Instead of sharing a patriotic message on America’s Independence Day, the company put it out on social media that the United States was “founded on stolen indigenous land” and that the government should “commit to returning it.”

“This 4th of July, it’s high time we recognize that the U.S. exists on stolen Indigenous land and commit to returning it,” the message read with a link to a blog post that declared the holiday festivities can “distract from an essential truth about this nation’s birth.”

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The Vermont ice cream company proposed that the U.S. should “start with Mount Rushmore,” and broke down the history of the national memorial in South Dakota and its significance to Indigenous peoples.

“But what is the meaning of Independence Day for those whose land this country stole, those who were murdered and forced with brutal violence onto reservations, those who were pushed from their holy places and denied their freedom?” the blog post asked.

“This Fourth of July, it’s time to return that sacred place to the Lakota,” they concluded. “Let’s make it a day that embraces freedom and justice for all.”

Ben & Jerry’s tweet sparked outrage among disgusted consumers who slammed the message as anti-American, considering it was sent out on a day meant to celebrate the nation.

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“Make @benndjerrys Bud Light again,” suggested one person.

“You’re a f***ing ice cream company, stop virtue signaling ya hypocritical phonies,” another user ranted.

“Give ALL of your property and land back to the Native Americans right now then… or shut up,” added a third.

One user proposed the company “apologize to the millions of cows you milked without consent. Your product is colonialist misogyny in the form of an overpriced dessert. Stop feeding the people cow trauma.”

One person simply wrote incredulously: “You’re literally ice cream,” while another argued, “Their ice cream tastes like indigenous land. Pretty sure that is one of the flavors.”

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The company, founded by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenwood (but which has since been sold to Unilever) is no stranger to the woke world of business.

The company has long been known for taking up progressive political causes including its support of the LGBTQ community and Black Lives Matter movement, as well as no longer selling its ice cream in Israel’s “Occupied Palestinian Territory,” referring to the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Ben & Jerry’s has long defended its activism, stating on its website that its social mission is to “eliminate injustices in our communities by integrating these concerns into our day-to-day business activities.”

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