Dear Business Times editor,

Your editorial here of May 13 seems to be as petty as you say the actions of Councilman Nguyen were, regarding his calling on Facebook for a possible business boycott against downtown business owners who spoke out publicly against 4th and 5th Streets changes.

You are as vengeful as you claim Councilman Nguyen was (it’s not “Jason,” which is disrespectful to his office). I think we all need to take it down a notch and realize that we have a point of disagreement on how to keep our streets safe, but that does not mean that we should become enemies.

In the context of massive federal government corruption and authoritarianism, one G.J. city official on Facebook calling for a boycott Is insignificant. He has apologized, and I believe he is sincere. I am very familiar with his demeanor as an elected leader, and I am confident that he means no ill will to any business in Grand Junction, nor do I and other Grand Valley Streets Alliance members.

I would ask downtown businesses to carefully consider the accuracy and sincerity of their public speech whenever an issue like this comes up again. The scapegoating of a minor street project in downtown Grand Junction brought forth an amazing opposition that I think was contrived and exaggerated by political opportunists such as Cody Kennedy and Ben Van Dyke.

I shop at many local businesses in downtown and value their products and services in a beautiful setting, and what I am really interested in is moving forward and forgetting this divisive issue and working together to keep downtown Grand Junction a sparkling, vibrant place.

– Jack Byrom, Grand Junction, member of Grand Valley Streets Alliance (speaking for myself only)