"The Invasian" Revisited
by Justin "Juice" Fong

"The Invasian," an editorial published in the March 15th issue of Harvard University's "Fifteen Minutes" Magazine has become quite infamous (Read Editorial). Pasted into an e-mail, with the subject heading "Asian-Bashing in the Harvard Crimson," this piece has been nationally circulated among the Asian-American community of various universities, sparking great controversy as well as great outrage. In the following, "Invasian" author, Justin Fong, responds to the flood of e-mails he has received, among which many have accused him of racism and perpetuating Asian stereotypes.

 

Photo Courtsey of The Harvard Crimson

If I could do it all over again, yes, it would have been much the same. The piece I wrote for FM Magazine of the Harvard Crimson entitled "The Invasian" was a purposefully strong and sensationalistic piece of writing. I don't regret one bit either its controversial content or the publication and mass distribution that it underwent. I, of all people, have been privy to a flood of positive emails from persons all over the country and several parts of the world. While I have received a barrage of criticisms and nasty threats, I feel good about my piece in that I seem to have voiced a sentiment that is at least somewhat true. Were I only to see lambasting replies, I may have very well felt guilty about freely expressing myself.

But, given this mixed response, I can only uphold my statements and be satisfied that I was able to expose a message that had been buried beneath the layers of political correctness.

I will assume that as my audience, you have already read the much-discussed piece and given it at least a minute or two of reflection. In the following few minutes of your time, I would like to offer just a bite or two more to munch on. While I don't expect people to agree with me, I do intend on fueling a modicum of critical thinking about this topic that is peculiarly so sensitive and particular to America.

One of my most memorable responses came from an Asian girl I know on campus. She wrote to me in support, as we are fond acquaintances. She wasn't one of those to whom my article tried to preach, but nevertheless the insight she offered I find invaluable. She told me, in summary, that all of those who responded to me in a nasty manner were uncomfortable with their own identity, and those who were comfortable wouldn't have a problem with my very colorful words. Isn't that scary? I just told all of you who are heatedly pressing your "compose" buttons that you are insecure with yourselves, and that's why you are going to respond to me so viciously. I would like to emphasize that the following racially-slanted predicament can be applied to so many types of people; it's not just Asians. But for the purposes of brevity and expediency I will use that category as an example among many. Now, I address those of you who are insecure with your identity as an American of Asian dissent.

How can you be comfortable with being both "Asian" and "American"? I think the most integral part of the process is recognizing the latter: You are American. It doesn't matter if your family has been here for one year or one hundred years. You are actively taking part in America, whether you like it or not. While it is easy for folks to recognize Asian cultures (an emphasis on the plurality), it has been a terribly challenging feat for many of us to recognize the fact that America, too, has many cultures. Even in the intricate differences between those of us from the Bronx, the Bible Belt, and the Bay Area, there are certain things that will inevitably tie us together as members of the same nation, under the same common law; that feeling of pride we took when our troops dominated over the malicious pawns of Saddam Hussein, the way in which we scream out our own guesses to that initial pricing game on "The Price Is Right;" our understanding of the super health-conscious frenzy that has allowed for everything in our supermarkets to be prefixed with "diet" or suffixed with "lite." If you have trouble thinking of more, just imagine anything that a foreigner wouldn't understand about our American culture.

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