Sunny Hostin, a co-host on ABC's "The View," has reiterated a sentiment she first expressed in 2021, stating that she feels uncomfortable or unsafe in neighborhoods where American flags are prominently displayed. Hostin explained her view during a discussion on the show about the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States and the nation's current state.
"I said this on this show many, many years ago... I said there are times when I walk into a community and I see American flags all over the community and I suddenly feel unsafe because there’s a section of this country that has co-opted the American flag, and they equate being an American or an American flag with White supremacy and that should never be the symbol of White supremacy, but they have weaponized," Hostin said.
Hostin's remarks followed a discussion of a viral image depicting uniformed White nationalists on a Washington D.C. Metro train. She described the image as "a defining image of modern America for Black Americans," noting the American flag-style insignia on the group's caps.
Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin countered that "the flag belongs to all of us," while guest host Michelle Buteau questioned the celebration of the nation's anniversary by asking, "The best nation. The best nation for who? Because if we are celebrating 250 years, what are we exactly celebrating, is what I want to know."
In 2021, Hostin initially raised this issue on "The View" in defense of MSNBC analyst Mara Gay, who had described seeing American flags, along with Trump flags and Biden condemnations, as "disturbing." At that time, Hostin stated, "When someone of color, a Black woman, is telling you her feelings, people need to listen and not, you know, repudiate it and not say, ‘Well, that can’t be true.'"
Hostin further elaborated on her 2021 comments, explaining that when she encounters numerous American flags, particularly alongside Trump flags or other partisan symbols, in a neighborhood that is not predominantly military or celebrating a holiday like the Fourth of July, she feels threatened. She characterized this display as sending "a message of White supremacy, it’s a message of racism, and it’s a message of their country, not my country."