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Home > Current Affairs > Ben and Jerry's Co-Founder Takes on America's War Machine (w/ Ben Cohen)
Podcast: Current Affairs
Episode:

Ben and Jerry's Co-Founder Takes on America's War Machine (w/ Ben Cohen)
Category: News & Politics
Duration: 00:45:56
Publish Date: 2026-04-16 01:21:04
Description:

Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 

Ben Cohen is the co-founder, along with Jerry Greenfield, of the Ben and Jerry's ice cream company. But he has also been involved throughout his life with a number of major activist efforts on issues of peace, social justice, anti-racism, and climate change. 

He is currently heading the Up In Arms campaign to rein in military spending. Cohen was a national co-chair of Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign. He has been arrested multiple times in the course of his activism, including disrupting an RFK Jr. Senate hearing to protest the genocide in Gaza. He is the author of the book Above The Law: How Qualified Immunity Protects Violent Police (OR Books, featuring an introduction by Killer Mike) and he is currently running a campaign to "free Ben and Jerry's" from its corporate overlords to protect its social activism. 

Ben's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yobencohen/ 

Ben's Book: https://orbooks.com/catalog/above-the-law/ 

Up in Arms Campaign: https://upinarms.life/ 

0:00–10:16 War, military spending, and moral priorities 

10:16–15:10 U.S. security logic and NATO expansion 

15:10–17:56 The profit motive behind war 

17:56–21:16 Impunity and lack of accountability 

21:16–28:12 Explaining militarism with BBs and Oreos 

28:12–33:50 Ben & Jerry’s social mission explained 

33:50–41:34 The Unilever/Magnum fight 

41:34–46:04 Should you boycott Ben & Jerry’s? 
Total Play: 0

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