The View co-host Sunny Hostin sparked controversy on Monday after stating that seeing American flags in certain neighborhoods can make her feel unsafe.
During a discussion about a July 4 photograph showing a Black woman on the Washington Metro surrounded by masked members of the white nationalist group Patriot Front, Hostin said the image represents the fear Black Americans experience.
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“That for me was a defining image of modern America for a Black American,” said Hostin, who is Black and Puerto Rican.
“As a Black woman, I'm sitting there in my country, and that's the type of fear I have to experience.”
Hostin then recalled a previous comment she made on the show about the flag's symbolism.
“There are times when I walk into a community, and I see American flags all over the community, and I suddenly feel unsafe,” she explained.
She argued that a segment of the population has co-opted the flag to align with white supremacy.
“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,” Hostin continued.
“But they have weaponized [the flag].”
Hostin compared the masked protesters to the Ku Klux Klan, saying their headwear resembles hoods due to the flag on their apparel.
“You might as well have a hood on, because that's what it looks like, that's what it feels like,” she remarked.
