Asian Americans, politically speaking, need to expend as energy on issues of urgent social justice import rather than getting perpetually hung up on the issue of negative images/stereotypes…I know Jeff Chang had a similar point to make a few years back, over the “Tsunami Song” debacle, and it bears repeating: in principle, yes, fighting stereotypes has a political, progressive purpose. However, on the grand scale of social justice issues, it feels like our community becomes disproportionately caught up on fighting stereotypes when much of that rigor and passion might be more usefully expended elsewhere…For example, I have yet to receive an email blast asking me to write to my political representatives about opposing the HR 4437 immigration bill (though I do not doubt, for a moment, that there are many Asian American organizers working to oppose this legislation). Nor do you often see the same kind of grassroots campaigns being circulated on the internet to draw attention to environmental justice issues affecting low income neighborhoods near polluting industries…In an ideal world, you shouldn’t have to choose but in a world of realpolitik, it’s important to choose your battles wisely. Believe me, there are times when I think people should be rightfully indignant over how Native American imagery is caricatured on sports logos, especially given the saturation of those images nationally…But with this Y1 Huf debate…what are we protesting exactly? It’s a limited edition shoe, destined to only be bought be a few hundred people, designed by an Asian American artist known for subtly subversive work, and located on a part of the shoe that most people will never see. How does this really merit anyone’s outrage considering all there is to be outraged in our nation and world today?…Despite appearances, I’m not trying to single out this campaign for scorn or ridicule. Rather, I’m trying to draw attention to a far larger tradition within Asian American activism that I think really needs to be rethought, especially in these dire times. The need for social justice campaigns that deal with 1) issues of multi-racial import and 2) issues that materially - rather than just symbolically - affect people and families, has rarely been greater in our contemporary history. Let’s not get caught, staring at our feet…Negative images are important (clearly) but I have a wider hope that, as a community, we don’t invest ALL our time in fighting this one area and end up neglecting other important battles that need dedication and focus too.

minority communities are well advised to pick our battles carefully, lest we continue to earn a reputation for crying “wolf.”