‘The View': The Nation’s Elie Mystal Calls US Constitution ‘Kind of Trash’ Since ‘Slavers’ Wrote It (Video)

Elie Mystal, author and justice correspondent for “The Nation,” had some pretty blunt words about the U.S. Constitution on Friday, describing it on “The View” as “kind of trash.”

Mystal appeared on the show to discuss his new book, called “Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution.” During the interview, host Ana Navarro asked Mystal point blank if the book’s purpose is “arguing for throwing out the Constitution” or if he believes that it’s a “living” and “sacred” document.

“It’s certainly not sacred, let’s start there,” Mystal responded. “The Constitution is kind of trash. Let’s just talk as adults for a second.”

Having not heard him clearly, Joy Behar asked Mystal to repeat himself, and he stuck to his choice of words. You can watch the moment in the video above.

“It’s kind of trash. It was written by slavers and colonists, and white people who were willing to make deals with slavers and colonists,” he continued. “They didn’t ask anybody who looked like me what they thought about the Constitution.”

Mystal then went on to jokingly simulate what a conversation like that might’ve looked like back in the 1700s, prompting laughter from the hosts. But Mystal then circled back to his point, and argued that a modern interpretation of the Constitution is essential.

“This document was written without the consent of Black and Brown people in this country, and without the consent of women in this country,” Mystal said. “And I say, if that is the starting point, the very least we can do is ignore what those slavers and colonists and misogynists thought, and interpret the Constitution in a way that makes sense for our modern world.”