Further proof that as soon as a smart little business becomes a big dumb business, common sense goes out the window was offered by the news that ice cream makers Ben & Jerry's have had to apologize for causing offence by calling a new flavor "Black & Tan" -- the nickname of a notoriously violent British militia that operated during Ireland's war of independence. The ice cream, available only in the United States, is based on an ale and stout drink (for the uninitiated that’s half a pint of Guinness topped off by half a pint of bitter) of the same name. "Any reference on our part to the British Army unit was absolutely unintentional and no ill-will was ever intended," said a Ben & Jerry's spokesman. "Ben & Jerry's was built on the philosophies of peace and love," he added. Which is true, but now that the company is a part of Anglo-Dutch consumer goods giant Unilever Plc, quarterly profits are seemingly more important than “peace & love!” And the company spokesman should get his facts right… The “Black & Tans” were never a British Army unit. Just as the IRA was never a part of the Irish Army.
Have'nt seen Ben or Jerry around here in a while!
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At that point in time the IRA were the armed forces of the Provisional Irish Republic , and so "were" the Irish Army. And while the Black and Tans may not have been a unit of the regular British Army, that distinction was of little comfort to those they killed and tortured.
But well done on getting the elements of a black and tan right! Ale and stout. not lager and stout.
Posted by: martin mcguinness | April 23, 2006 3:35 PM | Permalink to Comment