Of all the things anyone has written or said about John Mackey the word CONVENTIONAL has never been used unless to describe what he isn't.

Those who were amazed at his comments regarding the health care debate or his assessment that Whole Foods sells mostly junk clearly need to increase their intake of gingko biloba because their memory isn't really very good.

After all Mackey is the man who told American Public Radio's daily business show Marketplace that he opened his first store as a way to meet girls isn't someone concerned with his image.

Mackey envisions a world of free enterprise guided by ethical capitalism and notwithstanding complaints among some store level workers, his company has mostly managed to live up to his vision.

Before renouncing all compensation Mackey never earned more than $437,000 a year. The chain's work has been lauded as visionary by organizations promoting fair trade and growth of organic farming.

Yet Mackey's failure to consider the lessons of history, the exploitation of labor and the integrity of American business suggests that his vision doesn't extend beyond Austin.

We won't list our complaints about the chain. Too many carpers and cynics do nothing but rant about them day after day.

But what will we say is that its too bad that Mackey never entered the public debate over issues that his company has stood for. Issues of sustainability and fair trade and support for local food.

Instead his misguided belief in the power of capitalism to lift every boat left him looking like the man telling the boy no the Emperor is wearing clothes. Too bad he looks and acts like a fool especially to those progressives whose causes he has so often championed.

But as someone unconcerned with PR the failure to do so is consistent all the same.