Star-Spangled shower sandals

I've been thinking a lot lately about my shower sandals. Living in a dorm makes shower sandals a necessary weapon in the ever-raging war against fungus, bacteria and foot-related misfortune of all sorts. But simply because they are a necessity doesn't mean shower sandals can't be an expression of style. Mine, for instance, are your standard size twelve flip-flops -- simple, comfortable and functional -- but what makes them noteworthy, is their design. They're blue with white stars and "U.S.A." emblazoned on the soles in red graffiti letters.\nI bought these particular sandals out of a sense of irony. They seem to very nicely represent the conception of patriotism taking hold in modern American culture.\nWe've come a long way since Jimi Hendrix wailed out his rendition of the national anthem on his guitar at Woodstock 35 years ago. Then, the melding of patriotism and pop culture was an affront to the conservative base of American society -- a protest against war and governmental control and a value system leaving women and minorities out in the cold. Then, Abbie Hoffman caused a stir by wearing a shirt made out of an American flag. Now, similar shirts can be found at most clothing stores or online for about $25.\nIn the years between Vietnam and Iraq patriotism, it seems to have become stylistically chic and loose in its definition, and perhaps most disturbing of all, it has become a marketing tool. It reminds me of a recent car commercial that uses part of a Credence Clearwater Revival song in which John Fogerty sings, "Some folks are born made to wave the flag, / Ooh, they're red, white and blue." The commercial conveniently ends before Fogerty reaches the chorus -- "It ain't me, it ain't me; I ain't no fortunate one."\nOf course this problem is really only a cosmetic one made by a corporate-driven consumer culture. The fundamental debate about how to define patriotism has changed very little since the 1960s. The conventional wisdom still defines patriotism as love of a country, a desire to protect its citizens and support its troops. The dissenters' definition is based not so much on the protection of America as on the protection of the ideals and vague principles on which our country was founded.\nCritics see many of these corporations that are now producing the shower sandals, flag shirts and Credence Clearwater Revival car commercials as a threat to those very principles of equality, freedom, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Unfortunately, the dissenters disavow patriotism, rather than try to change its popularly conceived definition. \nToo many times, since the beginning of the war with Iraq, I have heard intelligent liberals bash Bush and America in the same breath. Most know the two are not nearly the same, but most don't know enough to be more precise in their attacks. Liberals need to learn -- just as you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar -- you win more political battles by loving your country, than by hating it. They need to show while their America is not George W. Bush, Enron or war in Iraq, it is the grand canyon, Ben Franklin and yes, star-spangled shower sandals.\nThis is most important now, at the beginning of the democratic presidential primary season, as liberal activists make up a significant percent of those few college students who actually care about politics. This is a time for liberals to get out the vote and show their patriotic side, and a good place to start might just be in the shower.