Johnny, We Hardly Knew You

I have enjoyed the few shopping trips I have taken to the nearest Whole Foods market, 55 miles up the road in Omaha, Nebraska and I have appreciated the rise of the company from one health-centered store in Austin, Texas. I have even enjoyed some of the writings of the CEO, John Mackey over the years. The story of his embrace of veganism is nothing short of inspiring. But, oh, Johnny, what on earth has happened to you? Now it's a free country, or reasonable facsimile thereof, and Mr. Mackey can think and say what he wishes, but his recent editorial in the Wall Street Journal brought me up short.

He states:

"Many promoters of health-care reform believe that people have an intrinsic ethical right to health care—to equal access to doctors, medicines and hospitals. While all of us empathize with those who are sick, how can we say that all people have more of an intrinsic right to health care than they have to food or shelter?"

If you read the entire editorial you'll find a chilling case of blaming the victim, blaming the poor for not making better "lifestyle choices" and for not eating a diet which is "a diet consisting of foods that are plant-based, nutrient dense and low-fat" i.e. a diet purchased from Mackey at Whole Foods. How dare people think that not only do they owe society, but society owes them? Even feudal lords took care of their serfs, providing shelter, protection and food in exchange for work and loyalty, however the feudal lords had a sense of noblesse oblige which today's lords of capitalism apparently lack. Does Mackey think that soup kitchens, food pantries, food stamps, homeless shleters and Medicaid are bad ideas - does he think the very corporal works of mercy are bad ideas? (For the non-Catholics reading this, the corporal works of mercy are as follows -

To feed the hungry;
To give drink to the thirsty;
To clothe the naked;
To shelter the shelterless;
To visit the sick;
To ransom the captive;
To bury the dead.

From Catholic Encyclopedia: The Divine command is set forth in the most stringent terms by Christ, and the failure to comply with it is visited with the supreme penalty of eternal damnation (Matthew 25:41): "Then he shall say to them also that shall be on his left hand: Depart from me, you cursed, in everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me not to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me not in; naked, and you covered me not; sick and in prison, and you did not visit me"...

The audacity of the I've-got-mine nouveau riche such as Mackey, who have aped the attitude of that horrid film, The Secret, is chilling. If you are poor, according to this mindset, it's your own damn fault, and why are you sooo negative, you icky poor person? Mr. Mackey has uttered his "let them eat cake" speech; now let the boycotts fall where they may.

I will stick to my local CSA's, Farmer's Markets, Co-Op and local grocers from here on out.

Gives me the damn willies, it truly does.

Here's a doctor's letter to Mackey on the boycott.