Free Speech Dilemma: Leadership Matters

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Whole Foods(WFMI Quote) CEO John Mackey is in hot water again, this time because of his comments about health and health care during an interview in The Wall Street Journal.

The last time he was in trouble was the Rahodeb discussion board scandal when the Federal Trade Commission considered the impact of his anonymous postings. This time, Mackey is anything but anonymous.

If you haven't followed this current debate, Mackey set the stage in the Journal interview by complaining about the preponderance of junk food and prepared foods in his own stores and announcing a health-conscious initiative both to his employees and consumers.

Then he published what some are calling his "Health Care Manifesto" which contained eight health reform proposals that he felt would lower the cost of health care for everyone. He was also very clear in his opinion of the need for less government control in health care, stating that health care was not an intrinsic right of the people.

Oops.

To be honest, I don't really care about Mackey's personal opinion. It does, however, bring up the issue of the leader's responsibility. Since the publication of his views, Whole Foods has weathered union wrath (Whole Foods is not unionized), picketing at stores and shareholder criticism. While none of these critics can actually attack Mackey since he has a right to his opinion, the obvious target is to attack the business.

Does Mackey have a right to his opinion? Of course he does. As a U.S. citizen, Mackey is guaranteed the same rights as you and I when it comes to having an opinion and expressing it. In his interview, you could even argue that he took greater accountability for his opinions by first criticizing his own business before taking his thoughts to a grander scale.