Stewart Rhodes' son: ‘How I escaped my father’s militia’ - BBC News 

Exactly. So thoughtful, introspective, and confident in what he says. Really inspiring.

lmao right because toxic masculinity is men who stood up and fought for your freedom to say stupid shit like u just said :)) B E T A cuck that's what u r lmao

That's a misandrist term.

@@redrick8900 what is?

What an articulate, thoughtful young man! Any other father would burst with pride at having this class-A son.

Amen

Ditto that!!

Yup! Glad they escaped !

Not a Domestic terrorist who failed Jan 6th?

That is what liberal and progressive children are for!

His father is the hero.... .. one day he'll realize that and be greatly ashamed of what he's done here.

@@DRourk Wah wah wahh.. Dad's in jail for at least 18 years Dad definitely won't even live to walk free. Dad betrayed the country and is now serving what is effectively a life-sentence for sedition! His dad was NOT the hero.

@@PhrontDoor In absolutely no way did Stewart Rhodes betray the USA. Whether he lives to see life outside of prison, I have no idea. If he actually remains in jail for 18+ years though, what little is left of the USA will have died. It's almost dead now.

@DRourk Brainwashed dolt

​@@DRourk daddy just got 18 years for sedition. If you think he's a hero, than you're a traitor too

@@NinjaDildoShow let the copium conspiracies commence!!

@@NinjaDildoShow perhaps are the actor

@@NinjaDildoShow you....are completely incorrect....fact....it's easy to look up this young man and it's easy to see how hard it has been for him and his remaining family. UNTIL ....you have a father who raised you to build punji pits before leaving on a family vacation....do not speak on the validity of this young man. The sickeness that follows the conspiracies behind the far right wing and the sane Americans witnessing it all...is deeply appalling. YOU ....are what is wrong with America. Attempting to spread more conspiracy shit...is exactly why this young man and his siblings have hidden in fear. SHAME ON YOU....and all of you who attempt to defame this young man. I am sickened by the conspiracy shit that has lead many families down this dark road the past few years...absolutely sickened. I am the daughter of a vietnam vet who fell deep into the conspiracies of the TRUMP CULT....deep into it...and to unbury myself from the rest of my family...is exactly..what I did. KUDOS to this mom and her children for taking the hard road toward self preservation, freedom, and healthy livelihoods. SMH

@@NinjaDildoShow well everywhere says he is do you have proof to show otherwise or are you just another stupid person om the Internet?

@@NinjaDildoShow prove it? Would be as easy as a link to his actor publicity website 🤔 why didn't you do that?

So well said.

It was his father that taught him. 🥴

@Always Overcoming Bear Nice of you to erase the fact Dakota has a mother, too. Can't imagine she might have taught him anything. 🙄

@@alwaysovercomingbear4809 shut up with that crap already

@@alwaysovercomingbear4809 taught him how not to act

100%. That was powerful!

@@jay4you853 ... how gullible are u people... your 'minds' are well prepared to freely join the communist party...

He calls his own father by his first name throughout the video

This family is far bettering off. Great interviews

His first name is Elmer

Exactly. Most people can't possibly understand how life threatening it is to leave. Statistics show overwhelmingly that more women and children die trying to leave their psychopathic husbands/fathers than at any other time in the relationship.

@@lyricessence Yup and that's not even including that you are losing your housing and and the ability to take care of your children, perhaps. It takes a lot to leave and enter into a situation you have no idea if you will be able to support yourself.

It's truly amazing that he snapped out of the grooming and brainwashing his father put him through. He's insightful, brave, intelligent, responsible, and in a much better place now in every way. Plus his father is going to jail for a long time. That's what matters.

I was thinking about this in domestic violence terms right before he brought it up. Imagine, you’re not only terrified of the husband you’re trying to get away from, but that husband is the leader of an armed militia. So very glad they are safer now. Probably never going to be able to completely stop watching their backs. (The mother’s point about losing access to their money due to lawsuits etc is heartbreaking and shouldn’t be allowed.)

It's a little different when your husband is a gun nut.

Thissss

He’s the real Chad in this story.

@@vogelvogeltje what is a Chad.... How bout calling him a man... Just a human just a man ... Smh!

So dang true...

Yes. The way he ran away from an old man with one eye and recurring problems from a broken back was truly heroic.

Boy turned "male"???? He "always" was a "male"!!! You have to mean "boy turned "man". RIGHT?? If not, could you clear up what you mean? TY...

@@FLo-jc7ig sorry my bad I shall correct this ignorant wording on my part.

@@FLo-jc7ig edited

Some may say he’s a traitor to his father’s beliefs and therefore a traitor to his father’s constitution.

@@alvaroq2024 good. If it weren’t for treason, we wouldn’t be USA 🤡 it’s funny how that works, eh?

@@alvaroq2024 There will always be the "some may say"ers..they're judgements are irrelevant. His "father's beliefs and constitution", sent him to prison...a good place for real traitors.

@@alvaroq2024 Lol who says that

@@alvaroq2024 or is he being his own man..not being to be the man that his dad wants him to be. He may like soccer over football

Silver lining: his dad shot his own eye out with a .22 pistol. That's why he wears an eyepatch.

@@MrJonsonville5 Rhodes shot himself in the face

DO NORMAL NAME !!!!!!!!!!!!

@@MrJonsonville5 And that the abhorrent excuse of a father is going to prison for his treason and crimes.

@@lucasrem eh, same shit, different pile : )

What a example of courage. A fine line, of sanity vs. insanity.

Yes, indeed - as is his mom

Want to give your comment thousand upvotes if I can!.

That's another reason why its important to be as financially independent as you possibly can especially if you're a woman.

You nailed that one perfectly!❤

@@mjohnson1741 It’s part of the oppression, keeping the wife from working outside the home so she is completely dependent in every way, even questioning herself at wanting to leave. Abusers like this are master manipulators. He was even able to manipulate tens of thousands of people who he didn’t control 24/7 for years like he did his wife.

@@mjohnson1741 9:53 You can see how conflicted she was. It's not easy when that is all you've known for over a decade.

He had to take on so many responsibilities, which was so unfair for him. He might need therapy, because he needs an outlet for all that pain he’s gone through, even if it’s just counseling! 😢

@@marjorjorietillman856 Damn on one hand congrats that the entire family escaped a cult leader like Stewart Rhodes but on the other hand they have to watch out for Oath Keepers Cult members going after them from escaping the cult.

Absolutely impressed Dakota. You stepped up for your mother and sisters. You took the sacrifice so that they will have a chance at a normal life. You're more of a man than your father will ever be. You should be proud of yourself, your sisters are lucky to have you, don't ever give up.

This is misleading. He has his masters from Yale law as a Constitutional lawyer worth over $8 million. The land alone in Montana is worth over $20 million!

I once was a liberal and then I woke up and realised that everything I'd been told about equality was a lie.

I was impressed. He's a solid well grounded person.

She raised a cancerous pig.

He needs therapy ,even though he is out from under that monster ,he needs a lot of therapy

Untreated mental illness

Yes, yes, you are!! Don't forget that voice inside telling you how "you got this!" ✌🏼💗😊

I feel you I also had an abusive father punched my mom and I for years until I was old enough to put a gun to his head is a long story, he still lives Im not a criminal, I just helped mom to escape that hell...

Sounds very familiar. Was he ex military? Because my father was and it contributed to his mental illness.

@@TheMELTDOWN911 Thank xxxx you didn't pull a trigger! You'd see at least 10 Xmases inside and it would have changed you. Excuse the phrase but "you dodged a bullet there!" 🙂 You have to laugh, eh? At least you didn't witness your father acting out a one-man campaign to save the Constitution from "all known enemies foreign & domestic". Stuart, we're living in this foxhole and eating apple & oatmeal to get us used to the coming revolution! We have to defend the Constitution from the home-grown crazies! LOL

Big respect to him!

And most do!

@@teambikini8746 that's your takeaway from the comment?

@@teambikini8746 what a pathetic and small perspective. “I can’t comprehend that another human could possibly disagree with the proud boys, therefore they must be fake.” Ignorance is power, isnt it?

That kid is a model for all republican children. Reject the insanity. Vote Blue!

A psychopath who believes in the Founding Fathers and the Constitution. Yes what a terrible threat to America.

@@joefairweatherblues8511 If he did, he wouldn't be a domestic terrorist for a living.

@@lyricessence You've been hoodwinked by the MSM (mainstream media), aka "fake news media" as Donald Trump called them out as. Rhodes is not a terrorist anymore than Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Franklin and Co were. He's a true American patriot. Btw was Nelson Mandela a terrorist? By comparison Rhodes did not engage in any comparable terror activity compared to Mandela.

The BBC do nothing but lie

@@edwingibson628 You can think whatever you like, it won't change the reality

stop calling people "heroes" so lightly holy sh*t

@@tgreaux5027 The young man took the higher road to escape with his loved ones, from the persona of his own father, when that father was obviously capable of riling up a bunch of other violent and lethal-minded rabble that attempted to keep their Orange-faced leader in charge of MY country. He looked out for his immediate family and he made a hard choice at a young age. If you can't respect him for that, then it's because you don't have any respect to share.

@@tgreaux5027 He could have done the easy thing and poked out his dad's other eye, 😉 🤺 but instead he did what he could without exhibiting the violent streak that put his father in prison, I'd say that's evolution.

Yes, I agree

Liberals got fooled here: most of our food is loaded with chemicals that poison our body and blood. But CNN/BBC are lying and saying a bigger threat is cosplayers or open carry advocates. Latter are stupid but libs totally got fooled, you don't realize it yet

@@heightsofsagarmatha you don’t say….

Yes. A courageous man. For survivors of abuse. For the conspiracy people who go too far. I pray for you and your s safety. I honour your spirit and that of your mum. I lived family violence too. But pulled me and my young daughter free. It is so so hard and you had it harder in your situation. Thank you from Australia.

Agree….and when he gets in any kind of trouble basically you get in worse trouble when you are in a relationship with this type of man.

The fight is not over for Tasha and Dakota they still have to face retaliation from people fighting to be the next cult leader of Oath Keepers. At least they escape the Stewart Rhodes part of the Oath Keepers just not sure how they would escape his successors though.

You've completely missed the point of this report. Have you read the title?

@@LMB222 thank you for your concern. I gleaned more than one thing from the report. You should try it some time.

Yes!

Wishing you all the best too.

I was a very abused child. I knew my job was to protect my younger brother and my mum from harm. I got between them and my father and made sure he went for me not them. As is too often the case my mother couldn't leave because of financial control. When he finally left I was mentally and physically disabled. I wish this young strong young man and his mother the best. They deserve it. I wan't the USA to have healthcare that could help them for free. It would make their lives easier.

@@brianwilliams9605 thanks for sharing your experience with us. 🙏

And all that time you have no stability, you don't even know when you put your decorations up, if you'll be able to have a peaceful holiday meal, or if you should plant flowers in the yard, cuz you might have to leave the next day . . Feeling guilty all the time for putting your child through it, cuz you believe its all your fault

I’m glad you got another chance

Dude, he's off-the-charts an exceptional human being. So intelligent. So clear-thinking and well-spoken. And down to earth. Yes, his mom must have done real good.

Rhodes is the terrorist he fears. Crazy and irregular father.

Thank you .

I totally agree

Women are also abusive.

@@AwakenedAvocado women certainly can abuse and men can be victims. But the preponderance of criminals associated with January 6th are men and many of them have histories of violence and or abuse towards women

@@jip230 and how do you know that. Where are their records tou checked every one? Sure. Maybe they're people sick to death of the lies and corruption of an inadequate government.

What about the kids of all those Sheriffs out there who followed this mental case who say they're not going to enforce the law if they think it violates the Oathkeepers code? We can't stop here, we need to go after every last poisoned mind that he infected.

@@BillySBC You're a f%kin psycho

@@BillySBC True, but no need to start with the "what about ism " because someone else's situation in no way minimizes the experience of Dakota, his mother, and his sisters.

I'm not sure 'bounced back' is _quite_ accurate here. I sense this clearly brave and eloquent young man will be unpicking the emotional and psychological fallout of his upbringing - if you can call it that - for many years to come. With a father like Stewart Rhodes, he'll have learnt to hide his true feelings (the powerful ones) both for his own safety and that of his Mum and sisters - and ultimately that rarely ends well...

@@221b-Maker-Street abuse survivors usually have some work to do, but they can and will do it, they do it every day. They aren't broken, and it's the people who left recently who are most visible. You'd be surprised if you knew how many people have been through a domestic abuse situation, because down the road, they look and live like everyone else. They just have experience that others don't. Healing happens.

Amen!

I suspect that's why Stewart say him as a threat.

Truly.

It must be to the point they reckon there's more to lose by being controlled by a maniac and NOTHING to lose by breaking themselves free taking the ultimate risky chance! It is SCARY!

Esp the boy. Like wow having to look at your own father that way

wow cannot believe how these poor people lived

A brave young man! Thank you for standing up to evil.

It made me cry, sad for him, them all but especially him. For joy and hope as well. His doing what he feels right and IS, sets a bar we should all strive for. Hope is great motivator and more and more of these younger people are adding to that hope everyday... A Real Man....

I'm honestly surprised that I haven't heard any stories from people who were sexually abused, or otherwise treated inappropriately, by "Stewart", as the son called him, not Dad.

@@sarah2.017 If what you’re alleging turns out to have some weight, the family may decide to write a book, and benefit handsomely.

@@sarah2.017 I didn't realise that he had been implicated in sexual abuse but it wouldn't surprise me. After all, his 'hero' Trump is a serial sexual abuser!

@@Spearca be patient that’s what they’re use to out here apparently.

He said peaceful protest??? That is a huge lie. I was watching. I had never in my 70 yes seen such at the capital, Whitehouse or another government property. Never!!!

Yes.

Yes! She gave these kids hope.

In my experience, men don’t even have to be mentally I’ll to be abusing… the system of gender roles, the media representations of gender, and the pressure of responsibility… anyway, it’s scary and studying this family and how they coped and made it would indeed be important!

@Cole Thompson it's a comment section, people are expressing their opinion.

I cried when I read this, my heart goes out to you, take care of yourself and enjoy the rest of your life

Yes, it's healthy for him to dissociate in that way. He should be very proud of himself indeed, yes!

Congrats that the entire family escaped the cult.

I wish he would call him ELMER 🤭

At this point, he is but a sperm donor. He didn't raise his son. He terrorized and abused him. That's no father.

@@garfield2439 Shh! Be wery wery qwiet.

Unfortunately there's a lot of brain washing going around today on both ends of the spectrum. I'm glad the family got away from this man and his. Beliefs

These family members seem like they were blessed with good luck to survive and escape the clutches of a disturbed individual. Every day there are more stories in the news about families not so lucky. It's sad how many murder suicides occur in families like this.......even the babies don't escape being butchered by madmen or madwomen as it were. I'm glad they are survivors so we can hear their life stories.

Are we not gonna give any credit to his mom???

@@vice.nor.virtue Why do you think she wants him in jail? A millionaire lawyer with a huge ranch🤔

@@Tbone1492 why does she want him in jail? Maybe cause he threatend her every step and beat her all the time. Didn't you watch the video or are you simply a moron?

He Is A Breath Of Fresh Air This Young Man 😊 He Could Teach A Course At Collage Level On What Is A Real Man

"an oppression of abuse" It's uncanny how often the most oppressive people are the most afraid of being oppressed by "them". It's just projection all the way down for authoritarians.

@@IRGeamer There is a cycle to abusing. Abusers were often abused. I know nothing about Stewart's background, but I would expect an abusive home environment growing up. Also he had anger issues that lead to abuse. Possible mental illness too. It appears that Dakota has broken the chain of abusing, I hope. Such a pattern is hard to break. It is strange that an off hance encounter to join a volunteer fire department was so crucial in helping him out of the darkness of his home life.

@@michaelroark2019doesn’t matter about the cycle. Stewart grew up n chose to continue the cycle. Whereas Dakota chose to break the cycle.

@@michaelroark2019 one of the reasons abusers and the alt right demonize the media is because it suppresses their voice and diminishes their power. It shows the abused that abuse isn’t normal.

What was the mother doing to help? I mean, after they got away he's talking about making sure they got to their soccer practice and whatnot. What was the mom doing? This is very common in abusive households, children become parentified.

@@AaaaNinja She probably held down a job.

@@AaaaNinja probably working. Maybe multiple jobs!

It really is amazing that he turned out this well after being abused by a crazy man since childhood.

@@SaintD382 Dakota was lucky enough to have the counter balance of a mother who was a refuge from an unstrung father. He also had the opportunity to see what his father's behavior did, not only to his mother and siblings, but retrospectively, to himself. When Stewart and Dakota are in the same room, Dakota is the only adult there.

thin red line between a patriot and a maniac

​@Steffen In The Bubble I think we need to stop using the word patriot in these instances, and use the more precise term, jingoist. Edit: When speaking of extremists like Rhodes. He is a jingoist, not a patriot

The word patriot is so horribly misused that it's worthless. Patriotic... fatherly? honoring your "father"?...who or what do you consider your "father"? Your Dad? Your country? Your "special" group? Your planet? Your sun? I'm gonna go with TIME, the biggest and oldest "father" symbol I can think of. I'm patriotic to TIME.

🧡💛💚💙🤎

Yeah. That's exactly how I feel too. None of that was anywhere easy for them. I wish them peace.

Truly inspiring indeed!

Same.

@Cole Thompson I’m sure you’re a blast a parties huh? 🤡

Escaping is a daunting goal! In cases of DV, you have to realize DV shelters are usually full. And have a waiting list! Food can also be a challenge! Some states make you wait for food stamps, others are quick to help . It takes precision and calm, to get out of there quickly n quietly!

I’m sure he was quietly making a plan to escape his narcissistic father!

@@janinecox256 my aunt mailed clothes and supplies to her mother. One by one. Then got on a train and left her abuser. Me; I sold the only thing of value (my father's WW2 Japanese sword) to pay for a place.i knew he'd find me in a shelter. And I figured my father would rather have me alive!!!

We could call them by their names if the report had introduced them!

Thing is I never knew this I got out but my mom didn't in the end and I've been blaming myself for that though as long as I was there my dad threatened me to keep her under his control.

I AM SO HEARTENED THAT YOU ARE ON THIS PLANET!! WHAT CAN I DO TO ASSIST YOUR FAMILY?

AWOL traitor is courageous now, 😂😂😂😂😂. I can’t with you people anymore.

@@Nuttyirishman85 Leaving an unstable abusive psycho isn’t traitorous and you can’t be AWOL (absent without official leave) if you’re not actually enlisted in anything. Dakota is braver than you could ever hope to be 🤷‍♂️

@@randomnessiscool where is the loyalty though? That is a huge quality in people.

@@Nuttyirishman85 You genuinely believe people should just be 100% loyal to someone no matter how abusive they are or how they act? Hypothetically if your father beats and rapes you, should you still be loyal to him and not leave? To answer your question though, his loyalty was with his family-his mother and siblings who he knew were in danger. He acted bravely to protect them.

@@Nuttyirishman85 You expect people to be loyal to an abuser? To a man who made threats on their lives?

I'm sure the guy you left is living his best life now that out of his life ? Did you take his kids with you too

​@@bazkiller ?what

Love, and shared good values is what makes family.

Britain has had its moments too. The silver shirts and Oswald Mosley, the National Front, the B.N.P. it ain't just America, sixty percent of the worlds countries are flirting with authoritarian forms of government. Banning guns doesn't work, nor does banning knives. As a matter of fact people are starting to use cars as weapons of mass murder. Yeah, it would be nice for America to be a better place, but for some people its never been a good place. With those people slowly getting more power, the white system that has kept them down is starting to have fits about not always being in charge anymore. Its the same every where you go.

@psychiczilla410 However, giving money to Nazis and Hitler fans in Ukraine is normal for you gays and pedophiles, your conscience allows you

However, giving money to Nazis and Hitler fans in Ukraine is normal for you gays and pedophiles, your conscience allows you

I can't say he prevented an entire civil war, but he did the right thing and he seems humble about it.🤘

You have to understand, the vast majority of us do recognize this as lunacy and stay far away from it. Without the internet there'd be far fewer of these goons.

Amen! 🙏

And this is what makes you a good Dad! Stewart wasn't a dad. His name shouldn't even be uttered in a sentence containing the word "dad". He was a narcissistic psychopath and shouldn't be thought of in any other way.

Yep. Anytime I hear a "dad" talk shit about their kid or mock them, I'm thinking, "why you giving your kid shit? They have you for a dad."

Try being brought up by one.

@@annalieff-saxby568 I'm not sure you understand my point. It's not a negative toward that young man, it's grieving for that young man having to have lived through that. It's called empathy. I don't need to try to live through that.

yup. what a guy - documentary should be called Dakota. This is totally about him.

Thats only if u believe their story... saving their own hides could be the main priority here...

@@cruzintheraw Only if I believe your story. Making a contrarian statement could be your only goal here.

All the black & brown people he discriminated , so brave what a hero

"Sometimes darkness can show you the light."

... from an obsessive partner*.

Lucky for us, it's probably less than 20% falling for the really stupid conspiracies. It's just that the people around them are afraid to disagree with them and they are too spineless to speak up.

Homeland Security says Right Wing Domestic Terrorists are the greatest threat to America. I agree.

No child and wife abuse conviction?

@@jackderipper2233 That's not true only white people can save the world , They the choosen one rest of them are npt allowed to run a country, So whites will constantly invading other countries but protest when immigrants comimg to whote people's countries

Damn sorry to hear that this family was in a cult that had connections to Trump. I knew the damage was there but didn't think the impact is crazier than that. We knew there would be damage from people who are drawn into a cult leader. But these people were born in a cult like in this video.

Stuart Rhodes is a narcissistic psychopath. His family was camouflage to make him fit into the community he wanted access too. He’s not really capable of caring for or loving them. He feels like they are his possessions and he used violence and emotional abuse to control them. His son coming out like he did has to do with his mother loving and teaching him than anything Rhodes ever did. Rhodes did his best to control and oppress his family and should face prison for that too. I’m glad he is going to prison for a long time so that his family can heal and hide from him.

Thank you for serving your country and thank you for commenting here.

How can you be a combat veteran at age 16😂😂😂😂😂😂 ❤❤❤❤

@@maxwellmortimermontoure7274 read it again. He was a combat veteran for 16 years. Not a 16 year old.

@@maxwellmortimermontoure7274 reading comprehension is actually really important. As my 5th grade teacher would say " go back and read it again". SMH.

It’s ELMER

@@laurie113 bravo! I was about to comment the same thing 😆

Oh man. If there was any case I don't want to find relatable, this is one of them. I'm sorry for the pain that you have endured and still endure today.

I grew up with a narcissist stepfather who threatened people with guns and even sat with a gun in his lap contemplating whether to go across the street to confront a noisy party. He is dead now and I will always wonder how close it came to total catastrophe. My half brother and I even considered using the “red flag” law.

Yeah and when I escaped the memories of rape and other forms of psycopathic control and humiliation into the world of cannabis in order to have sex, they made me an outcast to the society for using weed ends during weekends. It is strictly frowned upon and criminalized in the happiest country on Earth: the F-land. So I had to get it from criminals. They took my arm and leg. Yet, I had to escape the hospital right after surgery as cannabis is not allowed even as a pain medication. So I escaped only using one leg and one hand. I pushed myself over 10 miles that night backwards on a wheel chair to escape being returned to the hospital where I'd be given psychosis medication as I told them that my religion doesn't permit any of their pain meds (due to my religious nutso upbringing). Now I'm good, but am not allowed to do anything but to collect rubbish off the street, as we drug addicts (only cannabis and not addicted) are not trusted with even the most manual of labor as we might steal supplies to buy our next iv injection of weed (chemically impossible). And of course we can't even escape to America nor Canada, as former medical cannabis users are as banned from entry as drug dealers or thieves. But yeah, cannabis works wonders for traumas but doesn't bode well for your wallet nor your human rights. And I have so much work experience and knowledge that I know I could do better than collect refundable bottles off the street with my two degrees and ability in seven languages. Next social benefits pay day I get once a month, I can stay medicated thru smoke for at least four days and hammer down a novel or a screen play, if I can borrow a laptop or a phone from someone.

Sometimes I feel sorry for Melania......sometimes

sounds like he's bipolar as well, terrible combination. my father was also a violent bipolar, amazing we all got out alive