ABSTRACT
How should immigrant communities in the racial middle situate themselves in a changed racial terrain beyond blacks and whites in the post-1965 era? Illustrating the perils of building inter-minority coalitions in the fractured new racial order by the case of Chinese American mobilization against bringing back affirmative action in California (SCA5), this essay comments on the complications and challenges to traditional racial coalitions by “honorary white” Americans. It ends with some suggestions for these communities to avoid perpetuating white supremacy and falling victim to racial and partisan cross fires in the new politics of color.
