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Instead of sharing a patriotic message on the birth of American independence, ice cream company Ben & Jerry’s shared a messaged on the Fourth of July arguing that the United States was “founded on stolen indigenous land” and that the government should “commit to returning it.”
“The United States was founded on stolen indigenous land. This Fourth of July, let’s commit to returning it,” Ben & Jerry’s declared, before arguing that July 4th festivities, including parades, barbecues, and fireworks, can “distract from an essential truth about this nation’s birth.”
Pints of Unilever brand Ben & Jerrys ice cream for sale at a store in Dobbs Ferry, New York, U.S., on Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022. (Tiffany Hagler-Geard/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The Vermont ice cream company proposed that the US should “start with Mount Rushmore,” and detailed the history of the iconic memorial and its significance to Native Americans.
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“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?” Ben & Jerry’s said. “The faces on Mount Rushmore are the faces of men who actively worked to destroy Indigenous cultures and ways of life, to deny Indigenous people their basic rights.”
The menu hangs on the wall at a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream store on September 23, 2021 in Miami, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images / Getty Images)
The ice cream company argued that even the Supreme Court agreed with them-ruling in 1980 that the land that Mount Rushmore was on was stolen from the Sioux tribe. The court awarded the Sioux $105 million in damages, but the tribes refused the payment.
“The US exists on stolen land. We have to acknowledge that—today and every day. In the case of Mount Rushmore, the Supreme Court already did!” Ben & Jerry’s wrote.
“The US exists on stolen land. We have to acknowledge that—today and every day.”
“This Fourth of July, it’s time to return that sacred place to the Lakota,” they continued. “Let’s make it a day that embraces freedom and justice for all.”
Ice creams are seen in this illustration photo taken at the Ben & Jerry’s factory in Waterbury, United States on June 19, 2023. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The ice cream company announced their controversial Independence Day post on Twitter-despite previously speaking out on Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover.
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Earlier in June, Ben & Jerry’s announced that they will no longer pay to advertise on Twitter, blaming what it says is a rise in “hate speech” on the platform since Elon Musk took it over.
In a blog post, the company said that they watched the changes at Twitter since Musk bought the social media giant last fall “with great concern,” writing that “hate speech is up dramatically while content moderation has become all but non-existent.”
The logo of the ice cream chain Ben & Jerry’s is seen on top of a shop entrance. (Davide Bonaldo/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The company has long been known for taking up progressive political causes, including the company’s support of the LGBTQ+ community and the “Black Lives Matter” movement, among other polarizing issues.
In 2021 the company faced boycotts from consumers in the U.S. after they said they would no longer sell its ice cream in Israel’s “Occupied Palestinian Territory,” referring to the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
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The company defends its activism and states 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.”
Ben & Jerry’s did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
