Sunny Hostin, a familiar face on “The View,” has voiced her discomfort once more regarding neighborhoods displaying the American flag. This isn’t a new stance for Hostin, who first expressed similar sentiments back in 2021.
During a recent discussion on the show marking the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States and reflecting on the nation’s current state, Hostin revisited her previous remarks. It was then that she openly disclosed her unease when encountering neighborhoods adorned with numerous American flags.
Reflecting on her decade-long tenure on the show, Hostin recalled, “Many years ago, I mentioned on this show that there are instances when I walk into a community, and American flags are prominently displayed everywhere. In such moments, I can’t help but feel uneasy because a segment of this country has redefined the American flag. They associate it with White supremacy, which is a misuse of its symbolism—it should never represent that, but some have turned it into a symbolical weapon.”
Her comments came on the heels of a panel discussion regarding a viral photograph depicting uniformed White nationalists riding the Metro in Washington, DC, while a Black woman sits nearby with a solemn expression. The image sparked conversations about the flag’s changing perceptions.
The image in question followed a march by the group in Washington, DC, over the recent weekend, drawing national attention and further highlighting the complexities surrounding the American flag’s current significance.
“That, for me, was a defining image of modern America for Black Americans,” Hostin said, condemning the American-flag-style insignias on their caps.
Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin took the opportunity to blast fringe activists on both sides of the political spectrum, but guest host Michelle Buteau, who had celebrated 4th of July by eating a cake that said “America, Do Better B—-” argued this was an indictment of the nation as a whole.
“When you say it’s 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,” Buteau said. “So I’m really glad that picture was taken, because that picture is how we feel walking into many rooms, down the street. That picture is how we feel and nobody will believe us. So look at that picture and understand how it feels.”
“The flag belongs to all of us,” Griffin replied.
In 2021, Hostin spoke on “The View” about the phenomenon of Black Americans feeling uncomfortable in neighborhoods with American flags, defending MSNBC analyst Mara Gay for her controversial admission that she felt it “disturbing” to see American flags, Trump flags and condemnations of then-President Joe Biden in Long Island, New York.
“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 had said at the time, later adding, “When I drive into a neighborhood, and it’s not July 4th, and I’m not in a predominantly military household neighborhood and there are flags, American flags, everywhere, alongside Trump flags, alongside flags with stars in a circle, I feel threatened.”
“Because the message is very clear,” she continued. “It’s a message of White supremacy. It’s a message of racism, and it’s a message of their country, not my country. I don’t understand why that would receive backlash. People need to listen when I am saying this is how I feel. This is my experience in this country.”