The View's Sunny Hostin claims American flags make her feel 'unsafe'

Actress Michelle Buteau joined the ladies of The View on Monday for a round of America-bashing following a weekend celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States. During the conversation, Sunny Hostin claimed that when she sees lots of American flags in a neighborhood, she believes it's a racist place.

The ladies were talking about a group of Patriot Front members who marched around in Washington, DC over the weekend. "As a black woman," Hostin said, "my lived experience in this country was embodied by a photograph that was taken in celebrating the 250th."

"You know," she went on, "I think unfortunately in this country people have different lived experiences. So, while some may have a lived experience like ‘this is the best country in the world and while there's some stuff that goes on, you know, other things are okay.’ That for me was a defining image of modern America for black Americans!"

She was joined in her assessment by Buteau, who questioned the concept of American greatness. "When you say this is the best nation, the best nation for who? Because if we are celebrating 250 years, what exactly are we celebrating?" She asked. 

"And so I'm really glad that picture was taken," she said, referring to a photo of a black woman sitting on a metro train with the Patriot Front. "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."

Hostin, however, went further. "There are times," she said, "when I walk into a community and I see American flags all over the community and I suddenly feel unsafe." The audience delivered a spattering of applause. 

"There's a section of this country that has coopted 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—"

"Because the flag belongs to all of us," said Alyssa Farah Griffin, jumping in.

"It does belong to all of us," Hostin said, noting that members of the Patriot Front who marched around in Washington, DC over the weekend were wearing an American flag on their hats.