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Was Ben and Jerry's LinSensitive?


Author Poll
Nalod
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USA
ESPN reported this and as reported by "Boston.com"....

By Matt Rocheleau, Town Correspondent

A local branch of Ben & Jerry’s has apologized for briefly offering a frozen yogurt flavor inspired by professional basketball’s sudden sensation Jeremy Lin that included fortune cookie pieces, in an acknowledgment that the dish could be seen as playing on Asian stereotypes.

“On behalf of Ben & Jerry’s Boston Scoop Shops we offer a heartfelt apology if anyone was offended by our handmade Linsanity flavor that we offered at our Harvard Square location,” the local company said yesterday on its @BenJerryBoston Twitter account.

On Friday, Boston.com reported that the local Ben & Jerry’s store had replaced the fortune cookie pieces ingredient with a waffle cookie served on the side after what Ryan Midden, general manager of the local shops, called “a bit of an initial backlash.”

The fortune cookie pieces, which had been mixed into the first batches of the frozen yogurt pints, were also soggy, Midden said.

Though they are rarely, if ever, served in China, fortune cookies are a common dessert in Chinese restaurants in America and are believed to have been invented and popularized in the United States by Japanese immigrants. Lin, a Taiwanese-American, was born and raised in California.

The new flavor, offered for a limited time and sold only at the Vermont-based chain’s Harvard Square shop, sold out over the weekend, according to the Boston-area Ben & Jerry’s Twitter.

At the shop today, employees declined to comment and few customers said they personally were bothered that fortune cookies were used. But most said they were glad to hear the company had swapped out the ingredient and apologized to anyone who was offended.

Jodi Iwata said that she had read about the new flavor and its controversy in her hometown newspaper, the San Francisco Chronicle. Visiting the Boston area this week, she leaned over the counter, asked for a pint of “Taste the Lin-Sanity” but walked away dejected and empty-handed when the staff told her the limited batches had been completely cleaned out.

The ingredient she was focused on were the lychee honey swirls, which she said sounded appetizing.

“It really wasn’t a big deal,” she said of the fortune cookie ingredient, adding that the company’s apology, “couldn’t hurt.”

Since the New York Knicks put him on the court in recent weeks because of injuries elsewhere on the team, Lin has been outperforming expectations and has become an overnight star. The 23-year-old, 6-foot 3-inch point guard played for Harvard but left the Cambridge campus two years ago undrafted and largely unknown.

“We are proud and honored to have Jeremy Lin hail from one of our fine, local universities and we are huge sports fans,” the statement from the Ben & Jerry’s Boston team. “We were swept up in the nationwide Linsanity momentum. Our intention was to create a flavor to honor Jeremy Lin’s accomplishments and his meteoric rise in the NBA, and recognize that he was a local Harvard [University] graduate. We try demonstrate our commitment as a Boston-based, valued-led business & if we failed in this instance we offer our sincere apologies.”

The apology was reported on the Bostinno website. A similar apology was reported on ESPN.

Others said those who felt those offended should lighten up.

“People are taking themselves too seriously. People just need to ease us and have a sense of humor,” said Moise Elan, 33, of Cambridge, as he shared bites of a customized sundae made with chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, caramel, nuts, hot fudge and whipped cream. “It’s Linsanity, what other ingredients should people expect?”

E-mail Matt Rocheleau at mjrochele@gmail.com.

3 votes
16.67%
Ben and Jerry's was offensive
15 votes
83.33%
Ben and Jerry's were NOT offensive


Author Thread
JonsTintedTails
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2/27/2012  8:53 AM
People are way too sensitive.
AUTOADVERT
jrodmc
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2/27/2012  9:28 AM    LAST EDITED: 2/27/2012  12:02 PM
Blow up the world and start over. Everyone gets a tie-dyed, full body tat coming out of the womb.

Then we can just look down on others for where they were born, how much the delivering doctor made at the time, and what quality of ink they have.

MarburyAnd1Crossover
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2/27/2012  9:36 AM
It's getting absurd. Well, it's been absurd for a while.

We look back at earlier ages for their stupid ideas, like maybe the guys that thought earth was flat!! And they will look at us and say "ah, the age of being offended!!"

Carmelo Anthony is ANTI-BASKETBALL
arkrud
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2/27/2012  9:38 AM
Political correctness became like Communist censorship...
Way to destroy the free society is to make everybody think twice before they say a word.
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy." Hamlet
ChuckBuck
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2/27/2012  9:41 AM
Can't believe this is even considered remotely offensive to anyone...
NYKBocker
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2/27/2012  9:48 AM
I always go back to what I was taught as a child and what I try to teach to my children. "Before you say or do something, check to see how would you like it if it was said or done to you?"..."Do onto others what you would like other do onto you."
SlimChin
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2/27/2012  9:50 AM
yeah talk about overreacting.
SupremeCommander
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2/27/2012  10:02 AM
MarburyAnd1Crossover wrote:It's getting absurd. Well, it's been absurd for a while.

We look back at earlier ages for their stupid ideas, like maybe the guys that thought earth was flat!! And they will look at us and say "ah, the age of being offended!!"

soungs like a bigot rationalizing his bigotry, orangeblobman

DLeethal wrote: Lol Rick needs a safe space
Nalod
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2/27/2012  11:14 AM

They should aplogize for not getting it earler that the fortune cookie material they used got soggy in ice cream.

Other than that, I don't understand why they had to issue an apology!

MinsHeartsReezy
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2/27/2012  11:47 AM
Nalod wrote:
They should aplogize for not getting it earlier that the fortune cookie material they used got soggy in ice cream.

Other than that, I don't understand why they had to issue an apology!

Agreed. They're ice cream people, they should know better to test the stuff first.

But as for whether it was offensive? Clearly it was done to give props to the kid, not as a racial attack of any sort so people should take that into consideration and calm down a bit. I was born in a country that's well known for it's tea production. Would I be offended if someone made an ice cream in my honor that was green tea flavored? Absolutely not.

Voltron
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2/27/2012  12:00 PM
JonsTintedTails wrote:People are way too sensitive.

Would it be too sensitive if after Obama was elected President, that Ben and Jerry's added a Watermelon flavored ice cream at Harvard? or how about if whenever they have a sale or reduced price they called it a "Jew Special"? If some of you haven't seen it yet, youtube the SNL skit they did about Jeremy Lin a couple weeks ago. The point of that was the stereotypes we put on Asians are no less offensive than stereotypes applied to African-Americans, Mexicans, or any other minority, but we don't think of it as offensive because Asian-Americans just aren't taken very seriously as a minority group in the US, even though they are.

They're all the same so if you'e not going to be racially sensitive to one group, then you have to be racially sensitive to all of them. it will take time for people to get over it because goofing on Asians is so casually done, but if Lin has any effect on America its forcing us to re-look at how we treat Asians, just like Jackie Robinson did for African-Americans back in the day. We have to remember there hasn't been a prominent Asian-American in American pop culture since like ... nobody. So it will take time for all of us to adjust, but adjustment is needed.

jrodmc
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2/27/2012  12:02 PM
I resent being white. Maybe I should start a thread...
Voltron
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2/27/2012  12:03 PM
MinsHeartsReezy wrote: I was born in a country that's well known for it's tea production. Would I be offended if someone made an ice cream in my honor that was green tea flavored? Absolutely not.

No, because no one stereotypes, ridicules,makes jokes or goofs on you or your country about making tea.

Nalod
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2/27/2012  1:14 PM    LAST EDITED: 2/27/2012  3:28 PM
Voltron wrote:
JonsTintedTails wrote:People are way too sensitive.

Would it be too sensitive if after Obama was elected President, that Ben and Jerry's added a Watermelon flavored ice cream at Harvard? or how about if whenever they have a sale or reduced price they called it a "Jew Special"? If some of you haven't seen it yet, youtube the SNL skit they did about Jeremy Lin a couple weeks ago. The point of that was the stereotypes we put on Asians are no less offensive than stereotypes applied to African-Americans, Mexicans, or any other minority, but we don't think of it as offensive because Asian-Americans just aren't taken very seriously as a minority group in the US, even though they are.

They're all the same so if you'e not going to be racially sensitive to one group, then you have to be racially sensitive to all of them. it will take time for people to get over it because goofing on Asians is so casually done, but if Lin has any effect on America its forcing us to re-look at how we treat Asians, just like Jackie Robinson did for African-Americans back in the day. We have to remember there hasn't been a prominent Asian-American in American pop culture since like ... nobody. So it will take time for all of us to adjust, but adjustment is needed.

Would it be too sensitive if after Obama was elected President, that Ben and Jerry's added a Watermelon flavored ice cream at Harvard?

Good example. Is honey and Lychee an offensive flavor depicting a negative stereotype image?

Watermelon attached to a black american is.

I can see if Ben & Jerry's had "Cat" flavored ice cream (sarcastic) that would be hateful.

I get your message.

Ignorance breeds fear and familiarity breeds confidence.

It takes time.

Hippo
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2/27/2012  1:48 PM
Remember what a racist controversy it created when Fuzzy Zoeller made his fried chicken and collard greens comment against Tiger Woods. (who ironically is more Asian than African American or Native American). The media can't have one standard for one set of people and another standard for other groups of people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ufpU3X-t4w

MarburyAnd1Crossover
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2/27/2012  2:14 PM
I get made fun of for being ugly all the time, it's tough being in a world where everyone values being cool and good looking all the time.
Carmelo Anthony is ANTI-BASKETBALL
Voltron
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2/27/2012  3:01 PM
OasisBU wrote:
Voltron wrote:
JonsTintedTails wrote:People are way too sensitive.

Would it be too sensitive if after Obama was elected President, that Ben and Jerry's added a Watermelon flavored ice cream at Harvard? or how about if whenever they have a sale or reduced price they called it a "Jew Special"? If some of you haven't seen it yet, youtube the SNL skit they did about Jeremy Lin a couple weeks ago. The point of that was the stereotypes we put on Asians are no less offensive than stereotypes applied to African-Americans, Mexicans, or any other minority, but we don't think of it as offensive because Asian-Americans just aren't taken very seriously as a minority group in the US, even though they are.

They're all the same so if you'e not going to be racially sensitive to one group, then you have to be racially sensitive to all of them. it will take time for people to get over it because goofing on Asians is so casually done, but if Lin has any effect on America its forcing us to re-look at how we treat Asians, just like Jackie Robinson did for African-Americans back in the day. We have to remember there hasn't been a prominent Asian-American in American pop culture since like ... nobody. So it will take time for all of us to adjust, but adjustment is needed.

Stereotypes are not just applied to minorities.

You're right, I forgot about the stereotype applied to white people that they have more developed brains, are the only ones capable of being in charge from everything from fast food to corporations, can only be trusted to handle a crisis (locally or internationall), are rich, more educated, are the only ones capable of rescuing minorities from themselves, are the only ones capable of visiting 3rd world nations and rescuing them from oppression since they can't rescue themselves, are even tempered, don't spend money foolishly, are the epitomy of physical attractiveness, are law abiding, the only ones that work hard for a living, are all legal US citizens, are incapable of commiting any sort of crime other than white collar crime, are the only ones who can actually write music, are the only ones who can actually play musical instruments (along with Asians but only play cello), the only ones smart enough to run a business, can be trusted, don't abuse their women, are the only ones capable of voicing an actual main hero in an animated film, and don't steal. Did I miss anything?

Oh, you mean negative stereotypes .... hmmmm, can't dance, can't jump, have small penises, and .... that's about it. If you weren't referring to white people, then don't take this post personally, its just directed at anyone else who might have thought that. I also don't mean to turn this into a bashing white people post, but for anyone to think a white majority is somehow a victim of oppresion is sort of silly. I don't believe there are any prejudices against whites in basketball anymore, as we've seen prominent whites at basically every position. Even in football, white wide receivers are more widespread and accepted.

Nalod
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2/27/2012  3:30 PM
Hippo wrote:Remember what a racist controversy it created when Fuzzy Zoeller made his fried chicken and collard greens comment against Tiger Woods. (who ironically is more Asian than African American or Native American). The media can't have one standard for one set of people and another standard for other groups of people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ufpU3X-t4w

Masters Tournament in Augusta has had a segregated southern history.

I thought Fuzzy said it in jest as it would really put their history on the plate. Sort of a retribution for having a checkered past. Taken the wrong way its offensive.

OasisBU
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2/27/2012  3:44 PM
Voltron wrote:
OasisBU wrote:
Voltron wrote:
JonsTintedTails wrote:People are way too sensitive.

Would it be too sensitive if after Obama was elected President, that Ben and Jerry's added a Watermelon flavored ice cream at Harvard? or how about if whenever they have a sale or reduced price they called it a "Jew Special"? If some of you haven't seen it yet, youtube the SNL skit they did about Jeremy Lin a couple weeks ago. The point of that was the stereotypes we put on Asians are no less offensive than stereotypes applied to African-Americans, Mexicans, or any other minority, but we don't think of it as offensive because Asian-Americans just aren't taken very seriously as a minority group in the US, even though they are.

They're all the same so if you'e not going to be racially sensitive to one group, then you have to be racially sensitive to all of them. it will take time for people to get over it because goofing on Asians is so casually done, but if Lin has any effect on America its forcing us to re-look at how we treat Asians, just like Jackie Robinson did for African-Americans back in the day. We have to remember there hasn't been a prominent Asian-American in American pop culture since like ... nobody. So it will take time for all of us to adjust, but adjustment is needed.

Stereotypes are not just applied to minorities.

You're right, I forgot about the stereotype applied to white people that they have more developed brains, are the only ones capable of being in charge from everything from fast food to corporations, can only be trusted to handle a crisis (locally or internationall), are rich, more educated, are the only ones capable of rescuing minorities from themselves, are the only ones capable of visiting 3rd world nations and rescuing them from oppression since they can't rescue themselves, are even tempered, don't spend money foolishly, are the epitomy of physical attractiveness, are law abiding, the only ones that work hard for a living, are all legal US citizens, are incapable of commiting any sort of crime other than white collar crime, are the only ones who can actually write music, are the only ones who can actually play musical instruments (along with Asians but only play cello), the only ones smart enough to run a business, can be trusted, don't abuse their women, are the only ones capable of voicing an actual main hero in an animated film, and don't steal. Did I miss anything?

Oh, you mean negative stereotypes .... hmmmm, can't dance, can't jump, have small penises, and .... that's about it. If you weren't referring to white people, then don't take this post personally, its just directed at anyone else who might have thought that. I also don't mean to turn this into a bashing white people post, but for anyone to think a white majority is somehow a victim of oppresion is sort of silly. I don't believe there are any prejudices against whites in basketball anymore, as we've seen prominent whites at basically every position. Even in football, white wide receivers are more widespread and accepted.

I deleted my post because I didn't want to get into it, nobody said anything about the majority being the victims of oppression. It sounds like you are mixing up stereotypes, racism, ignorance, and oppression into your argument.

Now I am not that sensitive so what you wrote does not bother me because I know its not true.

"If at first you don't succeed, then maybe you just SUCK." Kenny Powers
OasisBU
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2/27/2012  3:47 PM
Voltron wrote:
OasisBU wrote:
Voltron wrote:
JonsTintedTails wrote:People are way too sensitive.

Would it be too sensitive if after Obama was elected President, that Ben and Jerry's added a Watermelon flavored ice cream at Harvard? or how about if whenever they have a sale or reduced price they called it a "Jew Special"? If some of you haven't seen it yet, youtube the SNL skit they did about Jeremy Lin a couple weeks ago. The point of that was the stereotypes we put on Asians are no less offensive than stereotypes applied to African-Americans, Mexicans, or any other minority, but we don't think of it as offensive because Asian-Americans just aren't taken very seriously as a minority group in the US, even though they are.

They're all the same so if you'e not going to be racially sensitive to one group, then you have to be racially sensitive to all of them. it will take time for people to get over it because goofing on Asians is so casually done, but if Lin has any effect on America its forcing us to re-look at how we treat Asians, just like Jackie Robinson did for African-Americans back in the day. We have to remember there hasn't been a prominent Asian-American in American pop culture since like ... nobody. So it will take time for all of us to adjust, but adjustment is needed.

Stereotypes are not just applied to minorities.

You're right, I forgot about the stereotype applied to white people that they have more developed brains, are the only ones capable of being in charge from everything from fast food to corporations, can only be trusted to handle a crisis (locally or internationall), are rich, more educated, are the only ones capable of rescuing minorities from themselves, are the only ones capable of visiting 3rd world nations and rescuing them from oppression since they can't rescue themselves, are even tempered, don't spend money foolishly, are the epitomy of physical attractiveness, are law abiding, the only ones that work hard for a living, are all legal US citizens, are incapable of commiting any sort of crime other than white collar crime, are the only ones who can actually write music, are the only ones who can actually play musical instruments (along with Asians but only play cello), the only ones smart enough to run a business, can be trusted, don't abuse their women, are the only ones capable of voicing an actual main hero in an animated film, and don't steal. Did I miss anything?

Oh, you mean negative stereotypes .... hmmmm, can't dance, can't jump, have small penises, and .... that's about it. If you weren't referring to white people, then don't take this post personally, its just directed at anyone else who might have thought that. I also don't mean to turn this into a bashing white people post, but for anyone to think a white majority is somehow a victim of oppresion is sort of silly. I don't believe there are any prejudices against whites in basketball anymore, as we've seen prominent whites at basically every position. Even in football, white wide receivers are more widespread and accepted.

I deleted my post because I didn't want to get into it, nobody said anything about the majority being the victims of oppression. It sounds like you are mixing up stereotypes, racism, ignorance, and oppression into your argument.

Now I am not that sensitive so what you wrote does not bother me because I know its not true.

"If at first you don't succeed, then maybe you just SUCK." Kenny Powers
Was Ben and Jerry's LinSensitive?

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