John Mackey was very well aware of the risks to his business when he wrote this excellent WSJ article on right and proper healthcare reform. I can't imagine the libertarian backing down, either, despite the statists who would boycott his stores. You can bet those who refuse to shop at Whole Foods today won't ever have made a shopping trip there to support Mackey's commitment to microfinance or to the transformative affect of voluntary association. I plan to make a Whole Foods shopping stop today, even though they're expensive as hell. I like his moral courage.
I think this affair shows just how divided we are as a country. And I'm no longer so sure I'm interested in the rift healing. Our vocabularies are becoming "incommensurable," as Richard Rorty would say. The fundamental difference between us is a principle of coercion versus a principle of choice. How am I supposed to coexist with coercion?
Anyway, as Mackey continues to fight for both principle and pragmatism, he may end up losing millions. But his legacy will be measured in the liberty he bought with those millions -- and we'll have him to thank.
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