Ben and Jerrys

World Famous ice cream makers Ben & Jerry’s have apologised for causing offence by calling their new flavour “Black & Tan” - A name reserved only for the notorious British militia that operated during Ireland’s war of independence.

The Black and Tans, so-called because of their two-tone uniforms, were recruited in the early 1920s to improve the odds of the police force in Ireland as anti-British sentiment grew. They quickly gained a reputation for brutality and mention of the militia still arouses strong feelings in Ireland.

A quick history lesson from historylearningsite
In 1919, the British government advertised for men who were willing to “face a rough and dangerous task”. Many former British army soldiers had come back from Western Europe and did not find a land fit for heroes. They came back to unemployment and few firms needed men whose primary skill was fighting in war. Therefore, there were plenty of ex-servicemen who were willing to reply to the government’s advert. For many the sole attraction was not political or national pride – it was simply money. The men got paid ten shillings a day. They got three months training before being sent to Ireland. The first unit arrived in Ireland in March 1920.

The Black and Tans did not act as a supplement to the RIC. Though some men were experienced in trench warfare, they lacked the self-discipline that would have been found in the Western Front. Many Black and Tan units all but terrorised local communities. Community policing was the preserve of the RIC. For the Black and Tans, their primary task was to make Ireland “hell for the rebels to live in”. Over 8000 Black and Tans went to Ireland and while they found it difficult to cope with men who used classic guerrilla tactics against them, those who lived in areas where the Black and Tans were based, paid the price.

Personal insult? Yeah Yeah, go get a life
Here are some comments left by members of http://www.junkfoodblog.com.

“I can’t believe that Ben & Jerry’s would be so insensitive!….”
“To call an ice cream such a name and launch it as a celebration is an insult!”
“I hope they don’t launch it here in Ireland or I imagine they’ll lose a lot of respect.”

Conclusion
Many people that believe this Ice Cream is an insult towards the Irish really do need to get their head checked, it’s obvious that they allowed a drink of the same name to remain a vocal point and a sellable trade yet when Ben and Jerry’s decided to make an Ice Cream of the same flavour as the drink it kicks up all sorts of controversy - Sorry but that’s not good enough and those people that are offended should forever know that they are bigots without cause.