I felt I had just finished reading an Asian version of The Destructive Generation by Collier and Horowitz, another work which denounces the lessons and gains of the sixties. Wei professes to write about the Asian American Movement and its origins. On the contrary, in an extremely underhanded way, he attacks and distorts its very origins. Rather than seeking truth from facts, he applies the same methodology used by the established powers to distort history so that those who want to find out about the movement's beginnings are left without its valuable past lessons. In the sixties and seventies, the Asian American Movement as well as other progressive movements were in an embryonic state.
Any analysis needs to take into consideration the historical conditions of that time.
Wei's book fails to accomplish this and leaves the reader with a negativist view of what was gained during the nascent stages of the Asian American Movement. The book discounts tremendous contributions and sacrifices made by many dedicated brothers and sisters who helped build the struggles during that period. While historical inaccuracies remain a major problem with the book, the greatest damage of Wei's work is an underlying cynicism toward the possibility of mass movements changing society. Wei's pessimism runs counter to the present optimism of today's students and others who, similar to the sixties, are looking to the past to build a new future. This book disturbingly distorts the historical facts, and evidence they seek.