23 thoughts on “Ben & Jerry’s New York Times Treacle – Tikun Olam תיקון עולם إصلاح العالم
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  1. Rich, granted that I don’t know even a fraction of the history, law, or policies, much less the realities on the ground that you do, but IMO, this article is good, sound, logical.
    Question: do you and Counterpunch have a workable relationship? I’d like to see their analyses of the situation (understatement of the year) and reactions to your articles.

    1. @ Sisyphus: First, Counterpunch doesn’t pay for articles (at least they haven’t paid me). Second, I’ve pitched them in the past and often gotten no response. Third, I do like Counterpunch and would be happy to publish there.

  2. What country besides Israel has the Ben and Jerry’s Board of Directors voted to Boycott?

    Has the B&G Board divested from another country, say China or KSA?
    Probably not.

    1. Unileverhas annual revenues of $61 billion (£45 billion) and its products are available in over 190 countries and maintains corporate offices in numerous human rights-abusing countries, including China, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Venezuela, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.

      Unilever is reportedly a major purchaser of tomato paste from state-owned factories in China’s Xinjiang region, where the U.S. State Department says China is engaged in “horrific abuses.” In January 2021, the U.S. government halted the import of all such tomato paste into the U.S., citing the use of forced labor that amounted to “exploiting modern slavery.” Yet neither Unilever nor Ben & Jerry’s appears to have ever taken action against China’s massive human rights violations in Xinjiang.’

      So Ben and Jerry’s Board had no problem with their parent company in bed with repressive and genocidal regimes.

      But Israel, the Board has a big problem with.

      “Now vee may perhaps to begin. Yes?”

      https://www.newsweek.com/double-scoops-double-standards-courtesy-ben-jerrys-opinion-1612002

    2. Ben and Jerry’s social and political activism do not have to meet any requirements to be considered as such, but it is varied. Given the long history of occupation and the fact that B&J are blatantly Jews and that this is subtly or not so subtly part of their image they needed to act. It’s taken them years. I read the pressure started in 2012, at least. I doubt they are selling in Tibet. Also I don’t believe that complaints about Unilever’s activist policies are valid with regard to Ben and Jerry’s own as the recent Newsweek article does. 
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_%26_Jerry%27s#Factories

    3. @ Jack Hoffman: Whataboutism, Jack. It’s a tired, hackneyed hasbara ploy. The truth is B&J doesn’t have any other markets similar to Israel. It has no stores in China, Russia or Saudi Arabia. But even if it did, there are no movements by human rights activists calling for business boycotts of China or Saudi Arabia. But since human rights in those countries interest you so much, I suggest you start such movements. And if you don’t you’re a f*ing hypocrite.

      1. How much business Ben & Jerry’s has in China, Russia or Saudi Arabia isn’t the issue.

        The issue is that the Ben and Jerry’s board of directors is uniquely positioned to challenge their parent company’s (Unilever) policies of doing business with corrupt, repressive and genocidal regimes, but instead of meeting that challenge, the Board grabs for the low hanging fruit and boycotts Israel.

        The board’s actions in this regard aren’t necessarily hypocritical, but rather suggests a certain lack of courage, an unwillingness to speak truth to power.

        1. The charge of inconsistency and hypocrisy don’t hold. Neither Ben and Jerry’ nor in fact Unilever have to take a stand against every injustice. But Ben and Jerry are compelled to take a stand here as much as any if not all Jews with a moral conscience are, as Israel’s behavior reflects on all Jews.

          1. The inconsistency, and illogic, of your argument is glaring.

            In effect, what you’ve said is that as a Jew, I’m morally bound to stop my Jewish neighbor from beating his wife, but I’m less morally bound to stop my gentile neighbor from raping and strangling his wife.

            I believe the greater injustice is the one that should be met first.

          2. No. I said Jews are being represented by Israel. Israel (politically) claims to be the homeland of the Jews. We can run there or just go there and live with special status as citizens. Netanyahu called all Jews to come to Israel. Jews support Israel. (Got it?) Therefore I am compelled as a Jew to take a stand one way or another. Jews like Ben and Jerry are taking a stand about about injustice, about international law. Overdue. I am not, nor is Ben and Jerry or any other Jew so compelled so strongly or at all in your other cases or in all cases of injustice, though for sure we do. Why?- because this reflects, by inference, on ME. (Got it?)
            I also wish to point out that this “whataboutism” ADMITS to Israel’s injustice by comparing to these other countries.

          3. PS- Rather, those who support Israel unconditionally are inconsistent and hypocritical when they criticize say KSA or Russia or China about essentially the same issues of human rights.

          4. Israel is the homeland of the Jews – but only once these Jews make it their home.
            A Jew that lives in a far-away country has no right to participate in any internal decisions, nor enjoy any of whatever Israel has to offer.
            A Jew that lives in the US is a citizen of US, not Israel. Period.
            Your comment is off – as if you would say that every Catholic in the world decides on what the Vatican should or shouldn’t do..

          5. @ Alex:

            A Jew that lives in a far-away country has no right to participate in any internal decisions, nor enjoy any of whatever Israel has to offer.

            Who died and made you King of the Jews?? And you represent whom precisely? Don’t speak for anyone or anything but yourself. You’re don’t define the rights and obligations of Jews in Israel or anywhere. The day I need to get your permission to speak about Israel is the day the earth stands still.

            As long as Israel claims to speak for me I have a right to speak about it. As long as Israel wants US aid, I have a right to speak about it. As long as Israel schnorrs from American Jews I will speak about Israel. But I have a deal for you: you get Israel to stop taking all aid from the US, stop fundraising in the US, and stop claiming that it speaks for world Jewry, and I’ll gladly butt out. How about it?

        2. @ Jack Hoffman: That was your last comment in this thread. Ben & Jerry’s is a subsidiary of Unilever. Subsidiaries don’t tell the corporate honchos what to do, who to sell to, which markets to abandon. You clearly don’t have a clue how large corporations and small subsidiaries work.

          1. Richard said:
            Subsidiaries don’t tell the corporate honchos what to do, who to sell to, which markets to abandon. You clearly don’t have a clue how large corporations and small subsidiaries work.

            Ben & Jerry Anuradha Mitta must not have gotten the memo either, because she just tore her corporate boss a new one after Uniliver issued a statement that deferred to Ben and Jerry’s much vaunted social agenda and affirmed it would continue to offer its products in Israel. 
            Anuradha Mittal, lashed out at Unilever, saying the B&J board had not been consulted on this statement and did not support it.

            In an interview with NBC News immediately following the release of the Unilever statement, Mittal accused her corporate boss of having been deceitful, adding, “I can’t stop thinking that this is what happens when you have a board with all women and people of color who have been pushing to do the right thing.”

            https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/2s-fight-with-ben-jerrys-over-west-bank-boycott.html2/texas-gets-involved-in-israel

            So a subsidiary board chair can call her corporate boss deceitful and implicitly racist and misogynistic.

            Jeez, Richard. What’s it you say subsidiaries can’t tell their corporate honcho?

          2. @ KC: Mittal does not have a “corporate boss.” She is Ben & Jerry’s board president. She doesn’t answer to anyone. Her board is “independent” as negotiated in the sales contract with Unilever.

            On the other hand, she has no sway over Unilever and really has nothing to do with Unilever except in terms of her role at B&J. And then, its usually her telling Unilever about what her board has decided regarding marketing B&J.

          3. you are so right! This tired lousy excuse of “blah blah blah women of colour” – as if anyone really paid attention to her colour.
            She is just full of herself…

          4. @ Alex:

            “blah blah blah women of colour” – as if anyone really paid attention to her colour.

            Offensive, misogynist and racist. Only a male could say something so disgusting. I wish I could transform you into a woman of color and then have you tell me that someone calling you a “cheap Hindu whore” has nothing to do with your gender or color.

            You are now moderated. Do not attempt to post in this thread again, and do not post more than 3 comments in any 24 hr period.

      2. @richard – you are wrong. There are movements by human rights activists calling for business boycotts of China or Saudi Arabia.
        I guess you didn’t bother checking the facts before responding.
        Such movements exist not in far-away countries – but even in the US and Canada, led by survivors of the oppressive regimes of China and the KSA.
        You call @Jack Hoffman a hypocrite – but in fact those who cherry-pick topics for human rights “championing” are the real hypocrites.
        The “social activism” of the lunatic board of B&J is definitely cherry-picking.

        1. @ Alex: The board of directors of Ben & Jerry’s is NOT a “lunatic board.” I find that comment deeply offensive and put you on notice that you could be moderated if you publish future comments here. Be careful who & what you insult.

          There may very well be calls for boycotts of other countries than Israel. But if they exist they have not gathered anywhere near the traction and support BDS has. I would suggest you don’t have a clue about the social justice/human rights agenda of the B&J board. Your ox was gored and you’re pissed. You could give a shit about the other guy’s ox.

  3. [comment deleted: major comment rule violation. Palestinian denial is absolutely forbidden here. You are now moderated. Your next comment rule violation leads to outright banning.]

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