The Whole Food Boycott — an exercise in hypocrisy

Posted by tx on August 24, 2009 under Healthcare, Home Page, New American Revolution, Tea Party Protests | 979Be the First to Commenthttp://912candidates.org/tx/2009/08/24/the-whole-food-boycott-an-exercise-in-hypocrisy/The+Whole+Food+Boycott+--+an+exercise+in+hypocrisy2009-08-24+13%3A44%3A39tx

From Andrew Breitbart at Big Hollywood:

John Mackey – the founder, CEO and marketing genius behind Whole Foods – finds himself in an organic, unsustainable mess with his carefully cultivated affluent, liberal customer base after penning an Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal titled, “The Whole Foods Alternative to ObamaCare.”

For starters, Mr. Mackey opens with a line from known-liberal-allergen Margaret Thatcher that features the dreaded “S” word: “The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.” Then he goes on to provide eight sensible free-market solutions gleaned from his company’s well-regarded employee health care program.

Mr. Mackey, a free-market libertarian, is now at the mercy of an unforgiving grass-roots mob intent on destroying his company. More than 25,000 people have signed on to a Whole Foods boycott on Facebook.

“Whole Foods has built its brand with the dollars of deceived progressives,” the online petition reads. “Let them know your money will no longer go to support Whole Foods’ anti-union, anti-health insurance reform, right-wing activities.”….

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So where is the hypocrisy you may wonder. I attended a counter protest at Whole Foods on Sunday, August 16, 2009 at the Whole Foods in Austin, Texas.   Our 9/12 groups were notified of a protest to “Boycott Whole Foods” for that morning. The photo to the left shows only some of our members.

Those of us who supported not only John Mackey’s right to publicly state his opinion but the content of his statement decided to counter protest. Our counter protest outnumbered that of  the “boycotters“. For three very hot hours, both groups stood on the street corner in front of Whole Foods. Occasionally, we even spoke to one another, arguing about the real issue — government run healthcare. Finally, when the 100+ degree heat was too much for all of us, the protesters put away their signs. Most of us, including the “boycotters“, went inside Whole Foods for lunch. No doubt the “boycotters” purchased a very healthy, tasty, organic portion of hypocrisy.