Oh the humiliation. The sense of failure. The exasperation and the annoyance: getting suspended from the Food Coop is SUCH A DRAG.
This is an excerpt from Saturday's NY Times courtesy of Verse Responder Leon Freilich, who was obviously speechless.
I doubt he's ever been suspended.
The picture is pricelss.
"I BOUNDED off the Q train in Brooklyn one night last winter and
headed to Union Street, past the yogurt shop and the firehouse, to do
some grocery shopping. But my plans soon went awry.
“You’re suspended,” the entrance worker at the Park Slope Food Coop announced as I swiped my membership card. Some entrance workers speak
softly, but not this one. Worse, there were a dozen other shoppers
within earshot."
Flushed, defeated and taken aback — I knew I owed the co-op some work,
but I didn’t know I had been blacklisted — I slunk around the corner
for a takeout burrito. But no amount of mushrooms and spinach could
diminish my shame and guilt.
Having been a member for 5 years — I can say you’re underestimating the impact of what’s been a mecca for all things organic & healthy lifestyle for generations, now. This isn’t simply about food, it’s about cooperation. It’s about holding producers and packagers responsible and we apply standards by vote (no water bottles sold, for example, as they are made from petroleum and that benzene can get into your system, easily, and without any reason). There’s 14,000 members that volunteer — and it’s bursting at the seams, and ready to expand. Remember, there wouldn’t be any organic stores if this didn’t start someplace. Credit where its due. Listen, I’m aware that I’m the Republican candidate for City Council in the 39th and being branded, but my family believes in the Food Coop and we work, every month in that regard.
Fascist regime? Nazis? Holy Guacamole! Looks like time for a refresher on what those words really mean. If you don’t like the coop don’t shop there and leave it at that. Why the bizarre level of rancor? For now, I shop there because I can get the highest-quality produce for the lowest price. If the cons of being a member ever outweigh the pros, I’m really glad to know there are other options.
Well, count me among those who left the co-op and never looked back. After 3 years, I finally had enough of the Soviet-style Communism masquerading as socialism (which OTBKB commenter Michael once reminded us is rooted in the philosophy: to each according to their needs, from each according to their means).
The PSFC’s “love us or get out” attitude is hardly exemplary of anything resembling cooperative. I have been a supporter of sustainable agriculture for two decades. One of my best friends was executive director of the largest activist organization in the country for sustainable agriculture and even she told me that the PSFC hard-core were notoriously known as the “Co-op Nazi’s” – even in those liberal circles!
And oh yeah, on Fairway, first of all, you totally DON’T need a car – the F train to Smith and 9th and the 77 bus is a quick and easy route, and with no long lines AND FREE home delivery for orders over a hundred dollars, we have saved hours over the co-op life every week, AND don’t let anyone lie to you, the prices are totally comparable to the co-op’s, in some cases significantly cheaper, and they have ever-expanding organic sections, including beautiful organic meats and chicken. By adding the two local greenmarkets in Prospect Park on Wednesday and Saturday to our bi-monthly trips to Fairway, our food-shopping life has once again become pleasurable.
The bottom line is this: like most fascist regimes, the PSFC’s dogma has ended up superceeding its original mission, which in this case was to help local, small, organic farmers stay in business and help consumers obtain healthy food. I believe in sustainable agriculture as a way of life. I’m also very busy as a psychotherapist, writer and parent of two kids. Most other serious food co-ops in the country today allow members the option to work at the co-op and pay lower prices, or not work and pay higher prices. Who does that hurt? Really?
Peter Loffredo
http://fullpermissionliving.blogspot.com/
The coop is too crowded so it works well for everyone if the members who can’t figure out how to work 2.75 hours once every four weeks drop out. Bye…. Don’t forget to write!
Two entries about the Socialist experiment on Union Street? Meh. As one of the comment mavens at the Times put it … it is something that .6 of 1% of people in Brooklyn care about. Solution: 1) Get in car 2) Head to Fairway 3) Drive home happy. No wonder why this area of town lists as #1 in ridicule and ridiculousness.
I’m not a member but friends of mine who are say they feel that with the nearly doubled membership, many of their tasks feel like makework. It would seem sensible to me to double the time between shifts so people would feel as if they’re making a real contribution to the place.