Stand With Ukraine Flip-Flops

For a high school extracurricular project, my son Sam, with the help of his brother Ben, put together these Stand With Ukraine Flip-Flops, which he's selling at StandWithUkraineFlipFlops.com. Sam is into zoos (he's a volunteer Avian Specialist Docent at the L.A. Zoo), so all proceeds will be donated to benefit Ukrainian zoos, which have apparently been hard hit by the war (and, of course, as most of you know, I'm from Ukraine, so Sam feels a connection because of that). The particular charity he's routing it to is the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria and its Emergency Appeal for Ukrainian Zoos, in which the L.A. Zoo is participating. Check them out if you're interested!

The Ukrainian phrase, "Разом з Україною," literally means "together with Ukraine," but that's the standard way that "stand with Ukraine" is expressed in Ukrainian.

Comments

[Brett Bellmore]

Well, that didn't go where I expected it to, from the headline.

[Michael P]

Yeah, I took "flip-flops" as a verb.

[Mr. Bumble]

Look pretty good, but might have chosen a better name.

[Brett Bellmore]

When I was a kid, we called them "clip-clops" on account of the sound of them slapping the sole of your foot as you walked.

All joking aside, might get some.

[Mr. Bumble]

When you were a kid they were what a well dressed VC (as in Viet Cong) wore. The ubiquitous Ho Chi Min sandal, made from worn out tires.

[Sigivald]

Calling them "thongs" would be ... also confusing.

[Mr. Bumble]

Seem to recall them being called shower thongs but that was before "thongs" were a thing and they were mostly worn in public showers to keep from getting foot fungus.

[John F. Carr]

I remember hearing Alistair Cooke talk about how Americans in the UK during WW2 were upset to see their flag displayed on inappropriate clothing.

[Doug Huffman]

Long ago; stay behinds.

[BillyG]

Same here

[wreckinball]

It’s time for peace talks. Either that or the EU has to step up and pick up the tab.

Russia is not going to lose no matter how many weapons we give Ukraine

That’s not supporting Putin it’s just reality

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

And why would anyone trust anything Putin "agrees" to do? Russia agreed in 1994 to honor the 1994 borders. He hasn't done so since 2014. Why do you think he would honor any new borders, let alone the 1994 borders?

[Mr. Bumble]

So how does it end?

[Brett Bellmore]

I suppose it ends when somebody puts a bullet in Putin's head, if the medical rumors aren't right. Or he is otherwise replaced.

Because Russia is a nuclear power, supplying Ukraine with munitions is as far as the West is prepared to go. It's enough that Russia can't win without going nuclear, but as long as Russia is ruled by a dictator who refuses to end the war, the war WILL continue on some level, even though it's bleeding Russia dry.

Putin has no exit strategy at this point that doesn't end with him dead, unfortunately.

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

I have no particular insight. Seems to me it's just as likely to end in Putin dying, someone less competent and charismatic stumbling into Russian leadership, and either dropping the ball so Ukraine "wins", or expanding the war, or being a faithful negotiator, or ...? Or it fades into a return to the post-2014 situation, where both sides are too worn out to press much more. Or the West finds a new fad to back, or decides restoring Russian gas flows matters more, or the EU decides fracking is not so bad. Or ... or ... or even ...

But peace talks with Putin? Not to drag up Munich and appeasement, but Munich and gullibility sure seems apropos.

[The Margrave of Azilia]

Not saying he's Hitler, but...he's Hitler.

[Michael P]

Fortunately, Putin seems to have neither Hitler's speaking ability nor Hitler's genocidal tendencies. But assuming Putin makes the trains run on time, he might be the modern equivalent of Mussolini.

[Mr. Bumble]

Well it didn't end well for Il Duce.

[Eugene Volokh]

I'm with Michael P: No need to define Hitler down. Putin can be very bad without being quite that bad. Mussolini is kind of the right zone.

[Armchair Lawyer]

"Russia is not going to lose no matter how many weapons we give Ukraine"

The US lost in Vietnam. Russia lost in Afghanistan. It's entirely possible for Russia to lose.

[Brett Bellmore]

Ah, technically we won in Viet Nam. Then walked away and let the North violate the peace treaty, what, six months later? But we did win.

Yes, it's technically possible for Russia to lose, but given that they have the capability of reducing Ukraine to a glassy, smoking crater, only if they're willing to lose. They can keep just "not winning" for a long while yet.

[David Nieporent]

No, technically we lost in Vietnam. We did not accomplish our objectives, gave up, and left.

[Sigivald]

When the US left in 1973, the VC were obliterated [had been for a few years] and no NVA were operating in South Vietnam, which was able to defend its borders, and continued doing so as long as Congress kept funding their air force.

How is that not "accomplishing our objectives"?

That Congress threw it all away a year later by ignoring violations of the Paris Accords and canceling funding doesn't mean it was lost in 1973.

"Lost" and "Won and then lost by refusing to maintain the peace" are not the same thing, despite the same end result.

[Mr. Bumble]

Why I find it hard to ever vote for a Democrat. After 58,000 plus dead and hundreds of thousands wounded Nixon wound down LBJ's war and after a few years the Dems through it all away.

[Sarcastr0]

You keep fighting that Vietnam war by voting for the party that still includes the Neocons, Bumble!

[David Nieporent]

Do you think we won in Afghanistan, too?

[Sigivald]

What is the "Russia simply can't lose" analysis based on, though?

[Liftertarian]

Is there a way to support your son without buying the flip flops? Flip flops are very uncomfortable to me.

[Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland]

Buy the product, donate it to an apt charitable organization?

That is likely the destiny of the pair I purchased.

[DaivdBehar]

This is a worthy cause. I will just send $100 if Eugene provides an address or electronic name for a payment app.

[Commenter_XY]

Professor Volokh, I would much rather this kind of aid be sent to Ukraine, from private, not government actors.

Ukraine is not an American fight. I am all for helping civilians displaced by Russia's invasion (even better if it is done with private not public money), but much less so in providing ever more sophisticated and lethal weaponry to Ukraine and entangling ourselves further in their war. Let the Europeans give Ukraine all the weapons they want, and we reinforce and resupply Europe.

[Sigivald]

I submit that perhaps "ensuring Europe is not dominated by a Russian Empire" might be in the interest of the United States.

("Reinforcing and resupplying Europe while they supply Ukraine" seems like merely a far less efficient way of "supplying Ukraine directly".

Does the distinction make a difference somehow?)

[Commenter_XY]

Legally...potentially yes = Does the distinction make a difference somehow?

[Curle]

“I submit that perhaps "ensuring Europe is not dominated by a Russian Empire" might be in the interest of the United States.”

And then again, it might not be. Depends on who benefits and who loses internally (the US) by such dominance.

Some Americans, including some who provided financial support and gained franchises, thought Bolshevik Russia would be better for the US than the Czar. Was it?

If Russian dominance disrupts internationalist financial and other forms of hegemony it may not be the case that Americans who feel oppressed by such hegemonic powers will be worse off.

[Alpheus W Drinkwater]

Commenter, "This kind of aid..." appears to be going to a private group, The European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, in order to provide aid specifically to Ukrainian zoos. I don't really understand how your objection applies.

[ReaderY]

Your headline had me wondering who had decided to stand with Russia instead.

In all candor, and with respect to your son’s well-meaning efforts, the secondary meaning of the word (when used as a verb) suggests that perhaps this particular item of merchandise might not be the best way to communicate that one intends to be remain steadfast in ones opinions and loyalties.

[Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland]

Strong headline. Strong project.

[Frank Drackman]

Those alone would be enough to make me side with Roosh-a (HT B. Sanders). Never understood the entire concept behind the flip flop, not especially comfortable, and puts the whole Corn (get it?) 0-Copia of Corns, Bunions, Calluses, Hammertoes, Toenail Fungus out for the entire world to see...

Frank

[Michael 11]

"of course, as most of you know, I'm from Ukraine, so Sam feels a connection because of that"

Really? Has your son read your article "Thoughts from an American About the Invasion of Ukraine"? It's remarkable for him to feel a connection through you, when your connection to Ukraine is described like this:

"I also don't have any real sentimental link there. To the extent I have a cultural link to that part of the world, it's to Russia, because Russian is my native language; indeed, I don't speak Ukrainian, and I don't recall even ever hearing Ukrainian spoken"

"I grew up with considerable connections to Russian culture, because of my parents' deep connection that culture, but none at all to the Ukrainians."

"Ethnically, I'm Jewish (Jewish was an ethnicity in the old country), so if I were to have any felt connections to an ethnic group, it wouldn't be to Ukrainians."

"But in any event, my "mystic chords of memory" link me to my non-forefathers in America, not to anyone over there."

[Alpheus W Drinkwater]

Dude! They're sandals - to support Ukrainian zoos. Why the extreme churlishness?

[Bill Falcon]

Great idea...need a line of invaded countries...Palestine next?

[Brett Bellmore]

"How dare you break the deal after I broke it!"

[Brett Bellmore]

I think they believed the South could enforce it so long as we kept up the military aid. And the South could have.

[Mr. Bumble]

Dems controlled Congress and wouldn't appropriate funds to supply arms and equipment.

[Alpheus W Drinkwater]

Volokh Conspiracy comment section: Where a post about flip-flops supporting Ukraine becomes an argument about the Vietnam war!

[Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland]

This blog attracts the stains and drains on modern American society.

By design, it appears.

[Curle]

Facts not in evidence.

[David Welker]

What treaty was this?

[David Welker]

Are you actually disputing anything he said? It doesn’t sound like it.

A Republican President can’t unilaterally appropriate funds. So, IF that is the reason the North took over the South, the Dems would own that mistake.

I haven’t studied the Vietnam war, but if the facts here are accurate and reasonably complete, it sounds like you are wrong.

[Mr. Bumble]

"and air power made little difference in the war previously,"

Air power has made all the difference in every war starting with WWII. Whether South Vietnam could us it effectively is open to debate.