Beyoncé, Dakota Adams and the New American Dream
In her latest exclusive monthly column for the Byline Supplement, writer Bonnie Greer looks at how the US megastar is shaking up how the US should see itself
When I think about Beyoncé and her work, and Dakota Adams and his life, I think about the conundrum, the puzzle in a sense, that is the United States of America.
Dakota Adams is the son of Stewart Rhodes, graduate of Yale Law School and founder of Oath Keepers.
Oath Keepers is a far-Right anti-government movement and organisation whose leaders have been convicted of attempting to overthrow the Government of the United States and to oppose the peaceful transfer of presidential power.
Stewart Rhodes is a military veteran, as are many in the organisation. As of now, he has been sentenced to 18 years in prison, a sentence, you can be sure, that if Trump returns to the White House, he will commute. Trump considers him and all of those imprisoned for the January 6 2021 assault on the Capitol — the last time that this happened it was done by the British in the War of 1812 — as “hostages”.
There is no contrition from Rhodes and there never will be because his hatred of the federal government goes back decades and created what his son has said was an “abusive childhood” for him and his siblings.
He had to move more than a child should have to: packing and unpacking boxes was routine, expected. His mother, Rhodes’ wife, had had enough and divorced her husband, father of her kids. Dakota took her name, “Adams”, and never looked back.
Dakota appeared on TV recently to tell his story and reveal his future plans, all the while wearing leathers and sporting black eyeliner and black nail polish.
When asked about it, he vows that he will never change his look and his style, stating that it was time for him to enter the fray. Go into politics. As a Democrat.
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