ABC News legal analyst and co-host of “The View” Sunny Hostin agreed with New York Times columnist Mara Gay that the combination of Trump flags and American flags was a threatening “message of white supremacy.”
In a video Tuesday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” New York Times columnist Mara Gay said, “I was on Long Island visiting a dear friend. I was disturbed. I saw dozens and dozens of pick-up trucks with, you know, expletives against Joe Biden on the back of them, Trump flags and some cases just dozens of American flags, which, you know, is also just disturbing. Essentially the message was clear. It was this is my country. It’s not your country. I own this.”
Whoopi Goldberg said, “So for many the flag has been a symbol of freedom. Has it taken another meaning, Sunny?”
Hostin said, “Yes, it has. I’m so surprised actually that she is receiving this kind of backlash. As Meghan mentioned during the last segment, when someone of color, a Black woman is telling you her feelings, people need to listen and not, you know, repudiate it. Not say, well, that can’t be true. Because you have in many respects the former disgraced, twice impeached, one-term president to thank for politicizing the American flag.”
She continued, “Remember, on January 6th, just a few months ago, you had the Capitol rioters tearing down the flag and replacing it with the Trump flag. You had them beating the police officers with the American flag. That’s what was going on just on January 6th. It is their country, not our country. I remember very well there was a Confederate flag being flown around in the United States Capitol. I also remember very well recently, when I was with my children in North Carolina in the outer banks with people in pick-up trucks with Confederate flags flying alongside the U.S. flag. That scared me. The same message was there. You don’t belong here. We belong here. I was afraid of that.”
Hostin added, “So, yes, 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. The message is very clear. 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.”
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN
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