I will boycott Whole Foods for opposing health care reform

9:07 pm PDT, Oct 14, Carole Harbard RN, California
"It is my aspiration that health finally will be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." —United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan May we in the US join the rest of the civilized world and into our hearts of compassion and honor basic human rights. Health care should not be entrepreneurial, it is a crime that a chronic illness or accident can lead to bankruptcy. I agree people should be empowered and take responsibility for their health when possible. Sadly this is not always possible, so a safety net is needed. Having to worry about money is the last thing you need when you are already in pain and sick. Until now I have shopped at Wholefoods. I have found a healthy alternative.

11:56 pm PDT, Oct 9, Karen Jackins, Maine
I am so saddened and angered by the many, many people who are of the "I've got mine, so nothing needs to change" mentality.

7:49 am PDT, Oct 8, ALPHA WI, Germany

11:37 pm PDT, Sep 18, Michelle Johnson, Texas
John Mackey doesn't have the right to dictate who can have health care and who can not. I think he should stick with the grocery business, and leave health care reform to those in charge. In the meantime, I will refrian from shopping at Whole Foods and it's affiliates.

10:35 pm PDT, Sep 13, Diane Straub, Michigan
Four years ago, our employer sent a memo stating that any and all future increases in health care costs would now have to be covered by the employees. Since that time we have seen double digit increases every year even though our salary has been cut. This is unsustainable for a family of six with kids in college. I can't even fathom what families without coverage must have to go through. I would say that Mr. Mackey has a right to his opinion but I also have a right not to patronize his stores because of this company's lack of compassion and integrity.

7:02 pm PDT, Sep 12, Name not displayed, North Carolina
Y'all are a bunch of liberal wackos. Whole Foods will be better off without your business.

6:42 pm PDT, Sep 10, A Jay, New York
i go to whole foods all the time and my friends and i will persuade thousands to boycott anyone like whole foods which stands in the way of fair and equitable health care as proposed by Obama even though i have such care myself. we need to cut the guts out of cost by bringing into line providers, insurers and extreme elements who stand to gain personally from opposing health care reform

3:45 pm PDT, Sep 6, Rocio Ruvalcaba, California
not a good move on Whole Foods management, but thanks for youre honesty.

2:29 pm PDT, Sep 5, Kathy Hass, Florida
Mr. Mackey, You hypocritically take Food Stamps from disabled Americans to pay you for your expensive specialty health food, but you do not want the public option so that the public can pay their own private doctors & medical providers. Whole Foods is no longer the only game in town for gluten free/cassein free products, and grocery supermarkets are learning to accommodate the special health food needs of the large & growing Autism/Asperger's community , at affordable prices. I will no longer be patronizing your store, and I encourage other Autism/Asperger's families to check out their local supermarkets for savings in the gluten-free/cassein-free diet. Sincerely, Mrs. Kathy Hass

6:01 pm PDT, Sep 2, Leslie Waltzer, California
Actually John, health care, food and shelter are human rights. What planet are you on? Just because Whole Foods does right by employees, and your family is well fed, does not mean that everyone else can be ignored. Up until now I have been a regular Whole Foods customer, however I will not shop at Whole Foods until you really study the issues and show a bit more understanding of the plight of millions of working Americans who do not have access to affordable healthcare.

10:21 pm PDT, Sep 1, Raelin Hansen, North Carolina
We can't continue running this country on the backs of the working poor, yet denying them the healthcare they so rightly deserve for all they do for our country. They are also the people who staff your store, Mr. Mackey! I'm crying foul!

10:11 pm PDT, Sep 1, Thomas Becker, Missouri

9:37 am PDT, Sep 1, Karimah Karah, California
shame on you. shame on you.

10:29 pm PDT, Aug 31, Scott Lackey, Washington
I don't care about the political leanings of the C-level folks at whole foods, I care about basic human rights, and healthcare should be a basic human right. I want Mackey ousted.

10:05 am PDT, Aug 31, Kjell Rodne, Wisconsin
It is time for our country to demonstrate its greatest to the world by providing universal, one payer, health care for all our citizens, not just those who can afford it.

1:03 am PDT, Aug 31, Lisa MacLeod, Arizona

8:49 pm PDT, Aug 30, James McGowan, Arkansas
Mr. Mackey, I need health care reform so I can afford health Insurance for me and my family. I do not need Whole Foods. I will support local farmers through farmers markets instead.

5:21 pm PDT, Aug 30, Kirsten Decker, California
We could learn from european countries who got it right. We need a hybrid system that allows choice; real choice. The wealthy can choose whatever company or plan they like, while the majority of America can also choose an affordable plan that gives them the options they want. This plan also cannot deny coverage due to pre-existing conditions or limit or deny procedures due to the associated profit margin. If you are not employed, or your company doesn't offer these benefits, or they are offered at a price you can't afford, does not mean you are not worthy of health care. It is time for a public option, which is true choice. And, by the way, my company also pays 100% of our health care plan that is not high-deductable, and does not force us to spend $2500 before the benefits kick in. When someone is out to make money off your illness, they will. They are the winners, and we, the little, non-wealthy, regular people are the losers!

2:16 pm PDT, Aug 30, Name not displayed, Massachusetts
the store espouses good health from eating its products, yet is in favor only for those with the financial means -quite the hypocrite!

12:46 pm PDT, Aug 30, Karen Brooks, California
John Mackey has views that are deeply conservative and, as far as I am concerned, anti-human. I cannot support a business that takes from progressive peoples earnings on one hand and supports actions against the common people

12:44 pm PDT, Aug 30, Vinatha Madhavan, Minnesota
My love for your Rugelach is exceeded by my distaste of your Op-Ed.

2:39 am PDT, Aug 30, Ralph Xx, Germany

5:13 pm PDT, Aug 29, Marina Chavez, California

2:32 pm PDT, Aug 29, Jiyeon Kang, Illinois

8:49 am PDT, Aug 29, Michael Michaelson, Pennsylvania
John Mackey caters to liberals and progressives what is he thinking? I will never shop at whole foods again until Mackey is replaced. He must leave the company.

8:26 pm PDT, Aug 28, William Kilgore, Massachusetts

12:49 pm PDT, Aug 28, Ilove Wholefoods, California
I love wholefoods and a boycot is stupid

12:37 pm PDT, Aug 28, J Freeman, Oregon
John Mackey is a disgrace. How does he wake up in the morning and look at himself in the mirror? It is a pity that the employees of Whole Foods will suffer for the callousness of this man. But to support an unethical operation, as personified by this man, with our shopping dollars makes us as unethical as he. Whole Foods is not the only health food store in town. And if Whole Foods wants to stay in business, Mackey needs to be replaced by management with a heart.

7:50 pm PDT, Aug 27, Allison Brim, Texas

4:55 pm PDT, Aug 27, Richard Dwyer, North Carolina
I definitely will never again shop at whole foods. The CEO took a cheap shot and I am offended by his action. He wanted to make this political, well, you got it buddy! You don't have my business! Also, I am fighting for healthcare reform. We need this because America stands for better. We can do it, and, it will happen!!! :)

12:57 pm PDT, Aug 27, Mary Jean McNamara, New York

10:12 am PDT, Aug 27, Portia Adams, North Carolina
Whole Foods is no longer my favorite store and I promise not to use an Whole foods grocery store ever again.

7:09 am PDT, Aug 27, Name not displayed, New York
It's totally irresponsible for Mackey to use his platform as the CEO of Whole Foods to rail against healthcare reform especially since he has great healthcare himself! I'd prefer to get my "whole foods" from my neighborhood farmer's markets and unionized grocery stores!

5:37 am PDT, Aug 27, Name not displayed, California

6:12 pm PDT, Aug 26, Gayle Doub-Schmidt, California
I am outraqed that the CEO of what I thought was a progressive, enlightened company such as Whole Foods would oppose universal health care and instead defend greedy insurance companies and health care systems who care more about profits than people. If Mackey truly cared about the health of his clientele and the American public, instead of attacking our backward, unjust healthcare coverage system, why doesn't he attack insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies and private hospitals for caring more about profit than health? Why doesn't he propose that all medical students and doctors be required to take extensive courses in nutrition and preventative healthcare rather focusing solely on pathology? Has he even bothered to find out that nutrition and prevention courses are NOT required for medical students? Even I know that!! Maybe all along Whole Foods was just a trendy moneymaking interest for Mackey. Maybe he is just in it for the profit to be made from the natural foods revolution. Maybe he only cares about the upscale, yuppie, apolitical or rich Republican clientele. Fine. I always raved about Whole Foods and shopped there frequently. I will no longer spend my hard earned money on a company owned by someone so elitist and corporately corrupted. Fortunately, I live in an area that has farmers markets and other organic and natural foods stores which is where I will always shop instead of Whole Foods. Even if, unknown to me, the owners of other food stores disagree with universal health care, the fact that Mackey made his views public is worse than keeping them to himself. Making his views public is his attempt to influence the healthcare debate against universal healthcare. A Whole Foods is opening soon in my neighborhood but I won't be going unfortunately.

1:16 pm PDT, Aug 26, Suzy Bobson, New York

11:46 am PDT, Aug 26, Susan Draper, New York
For anti-union behavior and for anti-health care reform, I believe that WHOLE FOODS sould be boycotted until these non American, lacking in compassion and social intelligence behaviors are changed.

6:23 am PDT, Aug 26, Christa Rotolo, Connecticut

5:37 am PDT, Aug 26, Alexander Rotolo, Connecticut

5:01 am PDT, Aug 25, Name not displayed, Nevada
It's easy for those WHO HAVE to dicate policy... No more Whole Foods shopping for me until John Mackey goes.

8:55 am PDT, Aug 24, Name not displayed, New York
I sent this email to my local WF's in NYC: I have been shopping at the 59th Street location for several years. When I read about Whole Foods anti-union policy, I was disturbed, but still continued to shop at the store. John Mackey's recent oped in the Wall Street Journal, however, in which he expresses disdain for a national health care policy (for people like me -- one of 50 million uninsured), is the last straw. I cannot support or give my money to an entity guided by someone (who likely has great health insurance for himself), who believes that I will remain disease free or not require any emergency health-care, simply by eating a Whole Foods diet. I will not be shopping at WF's but will instead shop the Westerly Market on 54th Street.

8:23 am PDT, Aug 24, Ryan Jackson, Maryland
Until Mackey is gone (and no WF money is going to him anymore) and WF entirely recants his position.

7:51 am PDT, Aug 24, Name not displayed, North Carolina
I suffer from MS and diagnostic testing is NOT covered by BC/BS. How will I pay the bill? I will I be properly diagnosed and treated? Emily Rumrill has suffered from juvenille diabetes and scoleosis. Her insurace has run out as a college student and University health care does not cover insuilin. If she cannot get insulin what happens?.....slow deterioration of the organs and extremities - she's 23 yrs. old PUBLIC OPTION NOW!!!

2:37 pm PDT, Aug 23, Name not displayed, Oregon
I will not shop at Whole Foods. I now know the chain's image is just a marketing ploy that makes me disgusted.

2:07 pm PDT, Aug 23, Salome Om, Maryland
I have given up shopping at Whole Foods in Silver Spring & Bethesda, MD. What a wonderful renewal of shopping at local farmers' markets, which sadly I had been neglecting for quite some time. Local farmers who grow such beautiful foods with such devotion to the land and environment deserve to be rewarded. It is nice to buy foods that were grown close by rather than transported from across country or overseas. It has also put me in touch with neighbors and friends who are likeminded. Thanks to this boycott I was able to correct the error of my ways.

12:24 pm PDT, Aug 23, Phyllis Katz, California
Of all companies to come out against health care reform. Apparently Mr. Mackey takes us for fools. Instead of filling Whole Foods' coffers, Mr. Mackey has just lost his company a fortune. I'm done with Whole Foods until they support health care.

11:43 am PDT, Aug 23, Vicki Hill, Texas
It's been almost two weeks since I've set food in a Whole Foods store, and the withdrawal pains are less than I thought they would be. I'll miss the good folks who work at the Lakewood store in Dallas, but John Mackey has convinced me to spend my dollars elsewhere.

11:10 am PDT, Aug 23, Christina Robertson, Nevada
We started our boycott of Whole Foods last week, after we picked up the story on Alternet. Consumers really do vote with their paychecks. Check out your local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) options & support local, sustainable farms.

9:32 am PDT, Aug 23, Anita Kestin, Rhode Island
i do not wish to penalize the rank and file who work at your stores- but Mackey MUST GO!

7:02 am PDT, Aug 23, Carole Young, Vermont
I can only assume that a person who believes that health care insurance is a commodity on which to make huge profits, as opposed to a basic human right, has never needed health care and not had the money to purchase either the care or the insurance.

12:05 am PDT, Aug 23, Kim Stands for PEACE, United Kingdom

9:16 pm PDT, Aug 22, Daniel Young, Florida

8:16 pm PDT, Aug 22, Joyce Samuels, Kentucky
The boycott of Whole Foods is spreading fast!!!!!!!!

8:08 pm PDT, Aug 22, Kevin Barber, New York
thought his bad mouthing antics on line pretending to be someone else was distasteful-----then his store selling bogus food---now he opens his big bad RIGHT WING CONSERVATIVE mouth and i am done---not one more cent for this creep---the " BOYCOTT WHOLE FOODS " SIGN GOES ON MY CAR TOMORROW----ROT IN HELL RIGHT WINGER

7:42 pm PDT, Aug 22, Lorenn Walker, Hawaii
Whole Foods is into "whole dollars" for it self. Of course the ceo is going to diss "social programs." I have never been to the new store in Honolulu...and don't plan on going to it...will continue to shop at our much cheaper health food stores...

5:58 pm PDT, Aug 22, Name not displayed, New York

4:58 pm PDT, Aug 22, Jennifer Gardner, Florida

3:16 pm PDT, Aug 22, Ronald Mattock, Maryland
Mackey's position on health care reform is outrageous. The Board of directors need to to fire him. I will not set foot in whole Foods.

11:26 am PDT, Aug 22, Anna Sew hoy, California

8:35 am PDT, Aug 22, Mark & Pamela Molen, Utah
Whole Foods has a great business model and deserves a CEO whose idealogy towrd social responsibility is more representative of Whole Foods customer base. His Piece tne th Wall Street Journal suggests he is more concerned about big profits for the health care industry than about solving the health care crisis in this country. He has made this position public and as the public persona of Whole Foods should step down from his position and let someone restore the good name of the company.

7:25 am PDT, Aug 22, Theo Harduvel, Illinois
Whole Foods resonates with almost religious power with its clients by selling "healthy" foods and a commitment to social responsibility. John Mackey has over the years demonstrated his rightist leanings. It is time that Whole Foods customers wake up to the reality of how John Mackey's profit motives and right wing politics stand in the way of customers' access to a healthy life with affordable health care and true organic and natural foods. I have already seen it fit to go out of my way to boycott Whole Foods and stand up against deceptive marketing capitalizing on people's desire to live a healthy life and do the right thing.

5:23 am PDT, Aug 22, Mark Richards, Kentucky
Mr. Mackey's position has caused me to never again purchase ANY of Whole Foods products.

12:56 am PDT, Aug 22, Katherine Sainz, Texas
As I officially corresponded with Whole Foods customer relations regarding this matter, I say again here, I am sincerely saddened that the company shareholders allow such elitist and illogical rhetoric to stand at the forefront of its operation.

9:26 pm PDT, Aug 21, Linda Hollar, Texas
Looks like Spouts is going to get a lot more of my money! What could Mackey have been thinking!

7:20 pm PDT, Aug 21, John Smetko, Illinois
john mackey betrays all that Whole Foods has been trying to do to promote itself to the progressive community. No more will I shop at Whole Foods. Spread the word among your family and acquaintances. No one who supports President Obama's efforts at health care reform should shop at Whole Foods.

1:45 pm PDT, Aug 21, Nancy Aksu, Florida
I assumed this company was operated by moral individuals. I will not shop at Whole Foods and encourage everyone I know not to as well.

12:00 pm PDT, Aug 21, Jim Rose, California
If John Mackey had seen a friend of family member die, as I did, because they were unable to obtain any treatment for a chronic disease due to lack of health insurance, I suspect he would change his mind on healthcare being a right for all. And please don't opine on the NHS when you clearly know nothing at all about it. Don't forget you have 5 stores in London whose employees live under that system you think so badly of.

10:28 am PDT, Aug 21, Name not displayed, Massachusetts

10:12 am PDT, Aug 21, Debby and John Hanrahan, Washington D.C.
Whole Foods has a store just 2 blocks from our D.C. home and we shop there frequently. But no more. Mackey's statements are outrageous, based as they are on bogus "facts" about the Canadian and U.K. health systems, right-wing libertarian rhetoric, quasi-religious belief in the magic of "free markets", and social Darwinism. John -- "let -'em-eat-tofu" -- Mackey is our modern-day Marie Antoinette. Single-payer -- Medicare-for-all -- now!

9:52 am PDT, Aug 21, Amiris Brown, North Carolina
I will go to Earth Fare http://www.earthfare.com/ instead!

8:01 am PDT, Aug 21, Burton Foster, Massachusetts

7:44 am PDT, Aug 21, Laura Sitkin, New York

4:35 am PDT, Aug 21, Jim Sullivan, Maine
No more whole foods for me and my family. Healthcare forall is a fundamental right. I will no longer shop at the Portland ME store.