Hundreds of Syrians, many of them children, were the victims of an unconscionable chemical attack — carried out by their own government — on April 4, 2017.
The attack was orchestrated under Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, according to U.S. officials, and has killed at least 70 people and injured hundreds more in the northern rebel-backed Idlib province, CNN reports.
The attack was particularly gruesome. The chemicals released possibly contained a nerve agent and other illegal substances that caused victims to gasp for air, writhe uncontrollably, and foam at the mouth while struggling to survive, rescue workers have reported, according to the New York Times.
A young victim of the chemical attack receives treatment in Maaret al-Noman. Photo by Mohamed Al-Bakour/AFP/Getty Images.
There's no quick fix. There's no redeeming silver lining that makes these deaths any less heartbreaking and senseless. Syrians are living through what most of us — watching the news through glass screens miles and oceans away — simply cannot fathom. The easiest thing to do right now is look away. But we shouldn't. We can do something. Now is the time to help.
Amid the chaos and misery, lives are being saved and families are staying whole, thanks to the courageous people working on the ground in Syria. And they need our help.
Photo by Mohamed Al-Bakour/AFP/Getty Images.
You can donate now to these organizations, all of which were on the ground, helping victims as the horror unfolded:
- The Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations (OUSSM)
OUSSM provides emergency medical relief and health care services to hundreds of thousands of people affected by violence in and around Syria. - The Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS)
SAMS has over 100 medical facilities throughout Syria, providing life-saving treatments and procedures for people in desperate need of care. - The White Helmets
When devastation strikes, the Syria Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets — a group made up of rescue volunteers — is usually among the first to rush in. Their mission is to save innocent lives, regardless of religion or politics.
It's understandable to feel outraged, but use that feeling to inspire you to act. The more we care about the Syrian people today, the more lives we'll be able to save tomorrow.
Syrians pray before burying the bodies of those killed in the chemical attack. Photo by Fadi Al-Halabi/AFP/Getty Images.
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."