Ben & Jerry’s announced their support for the Black Lives Matter movement, and the internet is clapping

By Rachel sanoff

October 7, 2016

By Rachel sanoff

October 7, 2016

If you didn’t already love Ben & Jerry’s for their delectable ice cream and clever flavor names — you will definitely want to support the iconic ice cream brand now.

Black Lives Matter. Choosing to be silent in the face of such injustice is not an option. https://t.co/6Vy0KHJeKU #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/pK96teLRhd

— Ben & Jerry's (@benandjerrys) October 6, 2016

Beautiful.

Ben & Jerry’s released a powerful statement, breaking down systemic and institutionalized racism and explaining why remaining silent means being complicit in the violence:

.@benandjerrys pic.twitter.com/GZg1lvOfBU

— BWE (@SelinaNBrown) October 7, 2016

.@benandjerrys pic.twitter.com/b7CtaONwFz

— BWE (@SelinaNBrown) October 7, 2016

"Systemic and institutionalized racism are the defining civil rights and social justice issues of our time. We’ve come to understand that to be silent about the violence and threats to the lives and well-being of Black people is to be complicit in that violence and those threats."

The statement also included a link to an entirely separate page, detailing the reality of systemic racism. Of course, the ~all lives matter~ crowd wants to boycott, but Ben& Jerry’s will not back down. A beloved and popular brand taking an extremely public stance supporting human rights (while also trying to educate their customers) is an action that deserves all the praise.

I'll take anything @benandjerrys is selling. Thank you for using your platform to speak up for justice & equality. #BenAndJerrysNewFlavor https://t.co/7nEmrA90cL

— Simar (@sahluwal) October 7, 2016

And the internet is certainly applauding the ice cream icons, tweeting the greatest social justice ice cream puns of all time with the nationally trending hashtag, #BenAndJerrysNewFlavor.