Ben & Jerry's co-founder begged for enemy of U.S.

WorldNetDaily ^ | January 30, 2003 | Joe Kovacs

[Houmatt]

In the moments before America was attacked by terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001, Ben Cohen, the co-founder of Ben & Jerry's ice-cream kingdom, was begging for a real enemy of the U.S. to show up.

In an ironic and hauntingly prophetic Internet column dated Sept. 4, 2001, Cohen posted an "enemy wanted" ad, hoping that a worthy adversary would soon make itself known to justify President Bush's defense budget:

ENEMY WANTED. Serious enemy needed to justify Pentagon budget increase. Defense contractors desperate. Interested enemies send letter and photo or video (threatening, OK) to Enemy Search Committee, Priorities Campaign, 1350 Broadway, NY, NY, 10018. ... I am distributing a job description as widely as possible to help our politicians find the enemy they seek. Even with the help of defense contractors – who spend $50 million on lobbyists annually – our politicians do not possess the creativity to find the right adversary. It's clear that the old concept of enemy doesn't work anymore.

The trouble is the Defense Department needs to find an enemy in a hurry. The Bush Administration has proposed to increase Pentagon spending by $33 billion, the largest defense increase since the Cold War. ...

Over 40 million Americans, including about 10 million children, have no health insurance.

My enemy search – if successful – would go a long way toward easing the consciences of our politicians who support the fat Pentagon budget, which diverts money from poor children, the environment, and other good things.

As of today, however, my search is not going well. So, I am open to any and all suggestions or leads that you might have. I am, of course on the lookout for the right headhunter, but none has materialized.

If you've got any killer ideas, please let me know.

Now, more than a year since the enemy has made itself known, Cohen is going on a new offensive – icing down the heated path to war with Iraq.

"I would like to know what the imminent threat is to the United States," Cohen said yesterday on CNN's "Talkback Live" program.

The Vermont anti-war activist is the head of an advocacy group called TrueMajority, which has created a set of television commercials featuring Hollywood's Susan Sarandon and Jeanine Garofalo opposing a military conflict with Saddam Hussein.

The Sarandon ad – which debuted just prior to President Bush's State of the Union address – also features Edward Peck, the former U.S. ambassador to Iraq and deputy director of President Reagan's terrorism task force.

"Before our kids start coming home from Iraq in body bags and women and children start dying in Baghdad, I need to know, what did Iraq do to us?" asks Sarandon in the 30-second spot, to which Peck replies:

"The answer is nothing. Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11, nothing to do with al-Qaida. Its neighbors don't think it's a threat. Invading Iraq will increase terrorism, not reduce it."

Cohen's group reportedly spent $200,000 to place the anti-war commercial on broadcast and cable networks in New York and the nation's capital, but an advertising source told the Washington Times it was rejected by the networks on a national level because it constituted "political advocacy."

At the London premiere of her film "The Banger Sisters," Sarandon expressed some frustration sparked by her outspoken views.

"I'm tired of being labeled anti-American because I ask questions," she said.

The other ad which is slated to begin airing this weekend features actress and comedian Jeanine Garofalo paired with Methodist Bishop Melvin Talbert, who says an attack on Iraq would violate "God's law."

The commercial starts with a warning about some scenes unsuitable for children. Garofalo suggests up to a half-million people could be killed or wounded if the U.S. invades Iraq.

"Do we have the right to do that to a country that's done nothing to us?" Garofalo asks.

Talbert was part of a 13-member delegation of American religious leaders on a five-day peace mission to Baghdad that ended Jan. 3.

A statement he issued criticized the Bush administration's push to remove the Iraqi dictator.

"No nation under God has that right," Talbert said. "It violates international law. It violates God's law and the teachings of Jesus Christ."

During the CNN program, Cohen claimed the current weapons inspections in Iraq were effective.

"You know, Saddam is a bad guy," said Cohen. "But the reality is that there are a lot of bad guys around the world. And we can't go to war and kill hundreds of thousands and wound hundreds of thousands of people, both our own and the people in those countries, any time there's someone around that we don't like. It's going to create more terrorism. It's going to make it less secure for us in the United States."

A member of the studio audience named Dan then challenged Cohen.

"Ben, I said off camera and I'll say it to you in your face, you offend me," Dan said. "You're just spending your money. You don't have any real knowledge that any of us here in the audience have. You just have a position, and you're using your money to make that position, and that bothers me."

"I hear what you're saying," responded Cohen, "but we have a board of military advisers, including Adm. Jack Shanahan, Adm. Stansfield Turner, former Assistant Secretary of Defense Larry Korb, and we have a whole set of business people that are our supporters. It's not my money; it's a lot of people's money."

On the TrueMajority website, Cohen claims to have the backing of some 500 corporate leaders "including the current or former chairpersons or CEOs of Eastman Kodak, Goldman Sachs, Visa International, Phillips Van Heusen, Hasbro, Stride Rite and [AOL] Time Warner."

[pfflier]

So don't buy his ice cream. It will make you fat anyway.

[pfflier]

So don't buy his ice cream. It will make you fat anyway.

[Texas_Jarhead]

Mr. Cohen also co-founded another group called Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities.

NEA pushes membership in the so-called Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities

[cyncooper]

After years of not viewing "Talkback Live" I happened upon this very show yesterday and watched for just a few minutes. I saw this part:

During the CNN program, Cohen claimed the current weapons inspections in Iraq were effective.

Pity that this cretin didn't hear the part (or chose to ignore the part) of President Bush's speech where he revealed that scientists in Iraq are told that if they cooperate with the inspectors they AND their families will be killed.

I also saw this before I clicked (after applauding this guy):

"Ben, I said off camera and I'll say it to you in your face, you offend me," Dan said.

[cyncooper]

Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake ice cream does just fine now

Thanks for the tip.

;)

[cyncooper]

So don't buy his ice cream. It will make you fat anyway.

Oh, I think if Mr. Cohen wishes to grace us with his opinion, we can post ours of it.

Nary a spoonful of Ben and Jerry's has crossed my lips in my life, anyway.

[Gary Boldwater]

The ice cream is made with flouridated water and will turn you into a commie in no time.

[3D-JOY]

I loved reading the flavors that your post started.

How about the list of businesses he said that also helped to pay for the TV commercials? Maybe a list of those to boycott would be effective.

[Paul Atreides]

He was once on a panel of corporate hippies, being featured on CSpan. I missed his drivel, but there was a woman on there who founded a Bed and Bath-type business (soaps, lotions, bath beads, etc.). They are fanatically leftist and support all manner of socialist freedom-curtailing causes. She stated that she and her husband (worth hundreds of millions, by the way) felt that it was immoral to die wealthy and, when they passed on, their children would receive NOTHING in terms of inheritence, only enough to get by. I know that it is their money, but you can bet that if I was that wealthy, I would make sure that my children are WELL provided for.

[dennisw]

Damn half wit liberal in love with yourself ..... now just about a traitor. UP YOURS!

[Canadian Outrage]

Not only that Mo looks like he is ignorant enough to follow it up!! Now that's an ANTI-american!

[pt17]

Nary a spoonful of Ben and Jerry's has crossed my lips in my life, anyway

Nor mine. Never cared much for the company or their fatty product when B&J owned it and I still don't.

[Fintan]

CUSTOMERS WANTED: Serious dimwits needed to help me amass my fortune. I'm a capitalist cleverly disguised as a push-button socialist. I produce ice cream with cutesy-poo names that appeal to earth mamas, neutered, mumbling, "males", vapid soccer moms, aging Deadheads and unemployed, government-educated children. Qualified applicants will totally ignore the fact that I never punch a time clock, or live from paycheck to paycheck, or worry about my next mortgage payment. Heck, I probably don't vote. You will be required to believe without a shadow of doubt that I know more than you. You must never, ever challenge my beliefs since I'm a rich, self-absorbed, self-aggrandizing, egotistical "liberal". Since I do not possess the ability to listen to another point of view, or engage in serious, civilized debate with those of an opposing viewpoint, you will also be required to totally and unequivocally believe I, and only I, know what's right for you and everyone else. And don't go near my BMW.

[Maceman]

"I'm tired of being labeled anti-American because I ask questions," she said.

And I'm tired of being called a Nazi by left wing whackos because I believe in liberty and the founding principles of America.

[Mr. Thorne]

Even better! When their employees tried to unionize, they threatened to dissolve the company. Isn't that odd? I though unions were a good thing...

I guess it just depends on who the boss is...

[texasbluebell]

I missed his drivel, but there was a woman on there who founded a Bed and Bath-type business (soaps, lotions, bath beads, etc.). They are fanatically leftist and support all manner of socialist freedom-curtailing causes.

I bet that was Anita Roddick of The Body Shop.

link

Sounds like her at any rate. She's a true lefty.

[OldFriend]

Ben & Jerry's was fined for dumping in a nearby river.....in other words, POLLUTING the environment in Vermont.

[OldFriend]

Dear Ben & Jerry........we have found the enemy and it's you and your ilk.

[Lockbox]

And I'm tired of being called a Nazi by left wing whackos because I believe in liberty and the founding principles of America.

That’s mean-spirited, racist, stupid, SUV owner, Nazi member of the vast right-wing conspiracy and don’t you forget it.

/sarcasm

[Bullish]

You owe SCUM a big apology. These "people" are much lower than SCUM.

They couldn't carry SCUMS' jock strap.