First the Marines came to support Occupy Wall Street, then the labor unions. Next up: corporations? Ben & Jerry’s has posted a statement of support on its website—and though you may think of it as a hippie-flavored ice cream company, it’s actually a subsidiary of the Unilever corporation, Gawker points out. “To those who Occupy: We stand with you,” reads the message, underneath an image of a Ben & Jerry’s cow holding an “Occupy” sign.
The statement, signed by the board of directors, notes that “the inequity that exists between classes in our country is simply immoral.” It points out that “we are in an unemployment crisis,” but “corporations are permitted to spend unlimited resources to influence elections while stockpiling a trillion dollars rather than hiring people.” It also identifies its board members and some of its favorite causes, and proclaims that "we are honored to join you in this call to take back our nation and democracy." Despite the fact that no ice cream was promised to protesters, “the seal has been broken,” writes Seth Abramovitch. "Who will be the next corporation to side with the 99%?” (More Ben and Jerry's stories.)