The View co-host Sunny Hostin is facing criticism following comments she made during a discussion about patriotism, race, and America’s 250th anniversary, saying that seeing large numbers of American flags in some neighborhoods can make her feel “unsafe.”
The remarks came during Monday’s episode as the panel discussed photographs of alleged members of the white nationalist group Patriot Front appearing in Washington, D.C., during Fourth of July celebrations.
Hostin said that while the American flag belongs to all Americans, she believes some groups have appropriated it for purposes that make her uncomfortable.
“There are times when I walk into a community and I see American flags all over the community and I suddenly feel unsafe,” Hostin said.
She continued by arguing that some individuals have linked patriotic imagery to extremist ideologies.
“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,” she said. “That should never be the symbol of White supremacy. But they have weaponized it.”
Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin responded by emphasizing that the flag belongs to all Americans.
“It belongs to all of us,” Griffin said.
Hostin agreed, replying, “It does belong to all of us.”
The conversation expanded into a broader discussion about the nation’s 250th anniversary. Guest host Michelle Buteau questioned what exactly Americans were celebrating.
“When you say this is the best nation — the best nation for who?” Buteau asked.
“If we are celebrating 250 years — what are we exactly celebrating?” she added.
Hostin echoed the sentiment, responding, “Yeah, the best nation for who?”
The discussion was prompted by widely circulated images showing a Black woman seated on a Washington-area train near individuals identified as members of Patriot Front. Hostin referenced the photograph during the segment, saying it reflected aspects of her own experience as a Black woman in America.
“In terms of, you know, as a Black woman, my lived experience in this country was embodied by a photograph that was taken in celebrating the 250th,” she said.
Sunny Hostin is free to feel however she wants.
But if seeing a neighborhood full of American flags makes you feel “unsafe,” the problem may not be the flags.
For most Americans, the Stars and Stripes means family, sacrifice, freedom, baseball games, backyard barbecues, military service, and a country that’s worth celebrating even when it’s imperfect.
The irony is that Hostin admitted the flag belongs to all of us. She’s right.
Which is why surrendering it to extremists is a terrible idea. The American flag doesn’t belong to racists. It doesn’t belong to political parties. It belongs to Americans.
And if your first reaction to Old Glory is fear instead of pride, you’ve probably been watching too much cable news.
