Congress gives its highest honor to the officers who protected the Capitol on January 6
'Staring down deadly violence and despicable bigotry, our law enforcement officers bravely stood in the breach, ensuring that democracy survived on that dark day.'

Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, awards Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman with the Joint Meritorious Civilian Service Award in February 2021.
Congress honored the heroes of the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on December 6 by bestowing its highest honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, to those who protected democracy on that dark day.
"Exactly 23 months ago, our nation suffered the most staggering assault on democracy since the Civil War. January 6 was a day of horror and heartbreak. It is also a moment of extraordinary heroism," Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said at the ceremony.
"Staring down deadly violence and despicable bigotry, our law enforcement officers bravely stood in the breach, ensuring that democracy survived on that dark day," Pelosi added. “So, on behalf of the United States Congress and the American people, it is my honor to present the Congressional Gold Medal to the United States Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police and every hero of January 6, from every agent that responded that day."
\u201cHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi announces the Congressional Gold Medal will be presented to \u201cthe United States Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police, and every hero of January 6th.\u201d\u201d— The Recount (@The Recount) 1670343699
Hundreds of officers who worked that day will be collectively honored by four medals placed at four locations in Washington, D.C.: the U.S. Capitol Police headquarters, the Metropolitan Police Department, the Capitol and the Smithsonian Institution.
At least nine people connected with the capitol riot have died since January 6, 2021. Three Trump supporters died during the riot, two suffered medical events and another was shot by Capitol Police. Four officers that worked on the day of the attack have since died by suicide. Officer Brian Sicknick died shortly after being sprayed with a chemical by one of the rioters.
The legislation passed by Congress specifically mentioned the “courage” of Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman who used himself as bait to keep the violent mob away from the Senate chambers.
“Words cannot adequately express our gratitude for what you did to help our officers by joining in the fight that was taking place,” U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said as he accepted the award on behalf of his officers.
“You did not give up. You did not give in. And yes, you were vastly outnumbered. But you were determined, exhausted and injured. It will show your sweat and your tears that mark these realms where we stand today,” Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee said. “You show the world just a glimpse of what we are.”
The ceremony was a way to honor those who fought bravely on behalf of their country on one of its darkest days. It also affirmed the notion that the January 6 insurrection was an assault on American democracy perpetrated by a group of right-wing protestors who attempted to thwart the election of an American president. The insurrection has been downplayed by many prominent Republicans who have dismissed the violent attack in order to protect former President Donald Trump.
On the day of the insurrection, Trump told the protesters to “fight like hell” to prevent Biden’s election from being certified by Congress.
The Republican Party’s collective shrug wasn’t lost on the family of Officer Sicknick. They refused to shake the hands of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell or House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy when they accepted the fallen officer’s medal.
\u201cDuring Congressional Gold Medal ceremony for Jan. 6 police, representatives of those receiving awards shake hands with Schumer then walk past McConnell and McCarthy.\u201d— Howard Mortman (@Howard Mortman) 1670344414
Surely, as time moves on, the politics surrounding the January 6 insurrection will cool and cease to color perceptions of that horrific day. As the story falls into the hands of historians it’ll be remembered as a brutal attack on democracy that was thwarted by brave men and women who gave everything they had to protect their country.
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."