Ben And Jerry's Duo Distribute Free Ice Cream To McPherson Square's Occupy Protesters

WASHINGTON -- Occupy DC demonstrators in McPherson Square received a tasty treat Tuesday afternoon when the co-founders of ice cream giant Ben and Jerry's, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, stopped by to scoop ice cream and show their support.

"Ben and Jerry's has proved that a corporation can support the community and use its power to improve the quality of life for everybody and still make a profit," Cohen told reporters at the event. "As our business supports the community, the community supports us back. ... I think it would be great if other corporations could follow suit."

Although they are admittedly part of the 1 percent that the occupiers continuously criticize, the legendary ice cream entrepreneurs are touring the country in support of the anti-corporatism movement and have issued a statement on their website supporting Occupy demonstrators.

"I think that there's a lot of people in the 1 percent that believe that the laws in our country have been rigged to support the wealthy," Cohen said. "It shouldn't be surprising that people are advocating for things that don't necessarily help them, but help the community in general," he said, adding that a constitutional amendment could "solve the problem" of corporate personhood in politics.

At least a hundred occupiers flocked to the free ice cream station, shaking hands with the ice cream celebrities and discussing the movement's potential.

"They came themselves and that's what makes the difference," Heather, an Occupy DC protester, told The Huffington Post, refusing to give her last name. "Meeting us in person really showed it wasn't just something they wanted to say they did."

When Cohen was asked if he saw potential in any of the potential presidential candidates for 2012, he answered that no one currently fit his criteria.

"I'm waiting for some politician who's going to support a lot of the things the Occupy movement is talking about," Cohen told HuffPost. "I think we've got a ways to go."

And any hope for an Occupy-inspired ice cream flavor?

"There's been lots of talk about it, but it's not in the works right now," Cohen said.

 

 

Comments

[John Cloud]

10:05 AM on 11/11/2011

As a participant in the Occupy movement, I hereby commit my whole self to nonviolence. Therefore to the best of my ability:
I am firmly committed to nonviolence as a way of life, not merely as a tactic.
I meet violence with compassion for others and myself.
I walk, talk and act in love and nonviolence.
I refrain from verbal and physical violence.
I do not accept “a diversity of tactics” when those tactics are violent or damage property.
I am open, respectful, and kind with everyone I encounter.
I invite the 1% to join us and will not insult them.
I seek justice and reconciliation so that we are all winners.
I avoid both selfishness and power trips.
I strive to be in good spiritual and bodily health as we work to build a just and democratic society.

[O K Ali]

09:20 PM on 11/09/2011

I'm more disturbed by the street vendors on the West Coast that had their carts vandalized and robbed when they ran out of free stuff for the protesters. I'm pretty sure they weren't nowhere near the 1%.
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/11/07/socal-street-cart-vendors-hurting-after-occupy-group-splatters-blood-urine/

[Kenny Torrella]

10:02 AM on 11/09/2011

Is this serious? It doesn't mention anything of the millions of dairy cows that suffer because of Ben and Jerry's ice cream. Mother cows are repeatedly impregnated on what are called "rape racks" (a dairy industry term), have their babies taken away from them at birth, are hooked up to electronic milking machines, and are forced to produce 340% more milk than they did before domestication. I'm not buying the wholesome lie.

[JannielB]

09:24 AM on 11/09/2011

Thank you Ben and Jerry!

[Jenna Bean]

07:19 AM on 11/09/2011

"Ben and Jerry's has proved that a corporation can support the community and use its power to improve the quality of life for everybody and still make a profit," Cohen told reporters at the event.

Yes, just dont expect anyone in the media world to report on it

They'd rather keep the divide as wide as possible.

[Jeffrey Bryson]

11:07 AM on 11/09/2011

Except that it has been reported on in the media. You're commenting on the report itself.

[wsdave]

12:29 AM on 11/10/2011

^^^This^^^

[Jenna Bean]

08:14 AM on 11/11/2011

Sorry but when I say media I mean real media not an internet news paper...........

[Limari Colon]

04:15 AM on 11/09/2011

Awesome! Thank you for that courageous act! Thispost made my day :)

[ChrisClement]

03:39 AM on 11/09/2011

Their success comes from doing good. People buy their product. They don't swindle anyone.

[whoisjohnglat]

03:38 AM on 11/09/2011

BTW - Ben & Jerry's was bought out in 2000 by Unilever - a Fortune Global 500 mega-corporation of consumer products. In 2006 B&J had to stop using Michael Foods as their egg supplier, due to bad PR from the Humane Society, which alleged that Michel Foods treated chickens inhumanely. And don't think for a SECOND that they get their dairy from organic, free-range cows. They've test-marketed 2 flavors of organic ice cream, but because of the MASSIVE federal over-regulation of organic farming and agriculture in general, they couldn't find enough local sources to economically sustain the effort. Don't trust me? http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_21457.cfm They've also been found liable for deceptive advertising when it comes to use of the terms "natural" and "antibiotics & pesticide-free." In other words, they're just in it for the money, like ANY for-profit enterprise, and they'll DO and SAY ANYTHING within the confines of the law (and sometimes outside it) to get you to part with your money. And as long as their products and business practices don't harm anyone and are legal, more power to them - but not for the reasons you First-Stage Thinking, weak-minded Leftards *THINK* you love them. I abide.

[wsdave]

03:20 AM on 11/09/2011

Well, at least they didn't need freezers to keep the ice cream good.

[teachone]

03:16 AM on 11/09/2011

THANK YOU OWS FOR ALL YOUR HARDWORK, SACRIFICES AND STANDING UP FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY AND THANK YOU BEN & JERRYS FOR BEING SO ETHICAL, MORAL, HUMANE AND AWESOME!! ALL AMERICANS WHO ARE NOT OCCUPYING SHOULD GO BUY AN ICE CREAM AT THEIR LOCAL BEN & JERRYS SOMETIME SOON!!

[JewishPhysician]

03:04 AM on 11/09/2011

Ben and Jerry are wonderful people. On one hand they are generous and blessed in many ways. In another sense, they support fringe causes and desicrate the existence of a civilized America by endorsing anarchy in our streets.

[rocksage7]

10:41 AM on 11/09/2011

wrong.....they are helping the99 to take back america...have fun in your gated community..remember the poor and sick your brothers and sisters homeless and dying in the streets for your freedom .......anarchy may be a blessing compared to civil war.....help save america to the streets..help OWS our voice of the 99...we will pray for you

[JewishPhysician]

11:06 AM on 11/09/2011

You can pray for me all you want, but no God will answer a prayer of anarchy. God responds to order and science and presence in our lives. If you want to accuse me of being in a gated community and aloof to your 'values' go right ahead. I live in mainstream America with a television set that plays the news and shows the right and wrong elements of America. America is not built on domestic insurrection. America is built on a foundation of acheivement and cooperation. Where do you fall into that paradigm?

[Jeffrey Bryson]

11:08 AM on 11/09/2011

Oh dear. Meant to hit "reply" and accidentally hit "Favorite".

[Mr Sardonicus]

02:41 AM on 11/09/2011

Time to initiate a _boycott list of any group, person, company that supports these rowdies.

[edrice222]

05:15 AM on 11/09/2011

More will be buying than boycotting.
Knock yourself out... Ben and Jerry won't miss you.

[rocksage7]

10:42 AM on 11/09/2011

you should move to Russia since you like plutocracy....

[edrice222]

11:26 AM on 11/09/2011

Thanks rs.
FnF back at you.

[wendy scott]

02:40 AM on 11/09/2011

They should make a commorative flavor .....Occu Apple Pie...Because protest is as American as Apple Pie.....( lame, I know)

[goodtomeetyou]

04:21 AM on 11/09/2011

I like it. Email them.

[Nikki Porter]

08:23 AM on 11/09/2011

Cute idea :)

[edrice222]

02:27 AM on 11/09/2011

From now on, Ben and Jerry's will be the only ice cream in my freezer.

[Mr Sardonicus]

02:47 AM on 11/09/2011

Duped again.

[edrice222]

05:08 AM on 11/09/2011

Your attempt to live up to your name, no doubt.
Sadly unsuccessful.

[NY Guy]

12:07 PM on 11/09/2011

Ben & Jerry sold out to Unilever, a big corporation.

[gogogadget]

02:00 AM on 11/09/2011

Gotta love the hypocrisy of these guys!

[rubysecret]

02:08 AM on 11/09/2011

I do not think that word means what you think it means.

[VOTER]

02:34 AM on 11/09/2011

Ben and Jerry are One Percenters, but they are affiliated with the GOP, GREEDY ONE PERCENTERS.

[VOTER]

02:36 AM on 11/09/2011

^^Correction^^
"......but they are NOT affiliated with  the GOP, GREEDY ONE PERCENTERS.