TX–Austin CEO resigns from board; Victims urge action

TEXAS
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

For immediate release: Thursday, April 21, 2016

Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, 314 645 5915 home, davidgclohessy@gmail.com)

A spokesperson for the Austin-based Whole Foods Market claims the company’s CEO John Mackey is “no longer serves on Mr. Marc Gafni’s board and has no connection to (his) San Francisco-based Center for Integral Wisdom.”

Gafni, a former rabbi, has generated controversy by admitting to sexually abusing a youngster and essentially blaming her by saying “She was 14 going on 35, and I never forced her.”

[New York Times]

We hope it’s true that Mackey’s distancing himself from Gafni. If so, however, we disagree with the public relations staffer who claims “there’s nothing else to say on this matter.”

NOTE – The comments made in an email yesterday, Wednesday, April 20, to San Francisco activist Nancy Levine from Whole Foods public relations staffer Robin Rehfield Kelly – Robin.Rehfieldkelly@wholefoods.com.

Mackey should apologize for his callousness and publicly announce his resignation from the board. He should also remove the link to Gafni’s CIW site on his Whole Foods blog.

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