Whole Foods CEO says 'socialists are taking over' schools and gun control debate

[Nevilledog]

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Shannon Watts
@shannonrwatts
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Whole Foods’ CEO said “socialists are taking over” in the US: “…with the way freedom of speech is today, the movement on gun control, a lot of the liberties I’ve taken for granted most of my life are under threat.” 🙄

independent.co.uk
Whole Foods CEO says ‘socialists are taking over’ schools and gun control debate
The grocery store chain’s CEO claims leftists are taking over schools and corporations
3:28 PM · Aug 13, 2022

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/whole-foods-b2143359.html

No paywall
https://archive.ph/aKwUP

The CEO and co-founder of Whole Foods thinks “socialists are taking over” because of rising discussions of gun control in the US.

Evidence of this left-wing takeover was present everywhere from schools to the military to firearms legislation, John Mackey told Reason Magazine’s podcast on Thursday.

"My concern is that I feel like socialists are taking over," the multi-millionaire organic grocery magnate said. "They’re marching through the institutions. They’re… taking over education. It looks like they’ve taken over a lot of the corporations. It looks like they’ve taken over the military. And it’s just continuing.”

"You know, I’m a capitalist at heart, and I believe in liberty and capitalism. Those are my twin values. And I feel like, you know, with the way freedom of speech is today, the movement on gun control, a lot of the liberties that I’ve taken for granted most of my life, I think, are under threat," he added.

The Whole Foods founder hasn’t been shy about his staunch free-market-first views, writing a 2013 book promoting “conscious capitalism” and calling the economic system “greatest thing humanity has ever done.”

*snip*

[elias7]

1. Obviously not a female

[EYESORE 9001]

2. Another company I'd like to boycott

but it’s hard when I’ve never bought anything from them in the first place.

[Nevilledog]

4. You could walk inside, put a few things in your cart, and then leave it and walk out.

[sheshe2]

8. lol!!!

[EYESORE 9001]

9. TBH, I don't even know the location of their brick-and-mortar stores in my metro area

If I come across one accidentally, I could do that.

[roody]

31. That will only inconvenience the workers.

[Nevilledog]

34. It was a joke.

[piddyprints]

3. Whole paycheck

Can kiss my ass. If he thinks it’s socialism that has taken over, he hasn’t been paying attention. SMDH

[leftieNanner]

5. Sorry Sparky!

You got it completely backwards.

Don't worry. I won't be shopping at your obscenely over priced market.

[gldstwmn]

6. Mackey's neo libertarianism has fallen out of fashion.

It must be infuriating that his employees are paid $15 an hour and have benefits since Amazon took over. I also don't miss seeing his employees asking for donations to charity at the checkout because they are forced to.

[sheshe2]

7. Way to lose customers, asshole.

I wouldn't shop in your overpriced stores if you paid me. I suggest you shut your mouth and keep politics out of your groceries.

Your TV ads show a wholesome place to shop, your comments prove you to be anything but.

[NCjack]

10. John Mackey is the reason that I keep driving past Whole Foods.

[FakeNoose]

11. I thought Amazon owns Whole Foods (?)

They advertise Whole Foods on Amazon like it's their own house brand.

[mopinko]

15. they do. guy just runs it for them.

for now.

[gldstwmn]

20. He remained CEO. It was sort of a hostile

takeover. I'm sure Amazon won't be thrilled with these remarks.

[Me.]

12. There Are No Billionaures In A Socialist Society

[Sogo]

13. Damn, and I always liked to shop at WF....

…especially takeout of their mac and cheese from the buffet….

[Zambero]

19. A great buffet, but I won't be going back

[Gaugamela]

14. The US has a long history of gun control which was overturned by the right

in the last couple decades, and it’s the right that that is trying to ban books and censor topics in public education. Mackey is an ignorant fool.

[Stuart G]

16. Not the brightest thing to say to some who shop there. Quite stupid indeed

[33taw]

17. Does he know his customer base?

[Act_of_Reparation]

32. I do.

And I don't suspect this is going to upset them so much that they'll look elsewhere for their free range organic non-gmo Himalayan rock salt.

[33taw]

33. It depends on the community. There are other options in many cities.

[LuvLoogie]

18. I drop in at whole foods occasionally.

Not anymore, heh. Whoops. I'll go back once they get a socialist CEO.

LOL

[rockfordfile]

21. un-American right-wing pos. He should gtfo and go live with Putin

[eShirl]

22. shop at Whole Foods if you want to support this guy and Amazon

spend that money instead at locally-owned establishments and farmers' markets

[Hermit-The-Prog]

23. Another Koch-style libertarian -- socialize the costs and privatize the profits.

These assholes need to be charged appropriately for the infrastructure they need, and we pay for, to generate their profits and lavish lifestyle.

[onetexan]

24. i've never liked the place, and even more now that i know their CEO is a RW looney.

[onethatcares]

25. really rich guys says

he wants more.......

Go figure..

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

26. I've never bought anything from Whole Foods because of Mackey.

I never give money obsessed, greed driven fascist nutters and their companies my business if I have a choice.

[Paladin]

27. Whole Foods' quality has slipped under this guy, already.

I don't consider myself to be a socialist, but I don't intend on ever shopping at a Whole Foods again. I hope that plenty of people join me on this.

[Mr. Ected]

28. Unchecked capitalism is the enemy of democracy

I don't know what gibberish this shitforbrains is spewing, but the day that a balanced social democracy is in place and guns are fairly restricted will be the greatest day in American history.

[roody]

29. I wish.....

[Samrob]

30. Anybody know the politics of ALDIs ownership and management?

I stopped going to Whole Foods two years ago.

[Aristus]

35. 'Socialists'. It's like they hear the word somewhere, never bother to learn the meaning of it,

but nevertheless enter into the 'Use It In A Sentence' phase.

[RobinA]

37. Ya Know,

I think when I retire in a few years I'm going to go get my teaching cerification so I can, for a few years at least, teach kids what "socialism" means. I think right now they are teaching that it means, "Anything I don't like."

[lame54]

38. Freedom to charge $6 for a stalk of celery