The president's silence after an attack in Kansas speaks volumes about his priorities.
Fans gathered at Austin's Bar & Grill in Olathe, Kansas, to kick back and watch the Jayhawks secure their 13th consecutive Big 12 basketball title. But their good mood was interrupted by gunfire.
Adam Purinton, 51, allegedly opened fire in the bar Wednesday night, killing Srinivas Kuchibhotla, a 32-year-old engineer. Kuchibhotla's friend, Alok Madasani, 32, and Ian Grillot, 24, were severely injured in the attack.
Left to right: Srinivas Kuchibhotla, Alok Madasani, and Ian Grillot. Photos via Facebook.
That night, according to witnesses, Purinton told Kuchibhotla and Madasani "Get out of my country" before being asked to leave the bar. He left, only to return with a gun. After shots were fired, Grillot intervened. Purinton was arrested in Clinton, Missouri (about 75 miles southeast of Olathe), after he allegedly told a bartender he needed a place to hide out because he'd "just killed two Middle Eastern men."
Kuchibhotla and Madasani are Indian — not that it would be any better if they weren't.
Photo by Andres Gutierrez/41 Action News, used with permission.
Here's what President Trump said regarding Wednesday's act of terror in Kansas.
That's right. He hasn't said a word.
He hasn't tweeted. He hasn't released a statement. His press secretary hasn't raised the issue in briefings. The silence is deafening.
This attack comes less than a month after the Trump administration announced plans to focus efforts of the Countering Violent Extremism program (CVE) solely on Islamic extremism.
Currently, the Department of Homeland Security uses the CVE to administer grants to schools and nonprofits that counter potential extremist violence. Narrowing the group's focus is seen as a win for white supremacists, as it could limit funding for groups that aim to prevent terror attacks led by right-wing extremists.
Ku Klux Klan members and counter-protesters argue at a Klan demonstration at the Columbia, South Carolina, state house. Photo by John Moore/Getty Images.
That's exactly what this attack in Kansas was: terrorism.
The shooter allegedly came to the bar that night to harm, kill, and instill fear in pursuit of his political aim. No one is asking who radicalized him or calling for a ban on middle-aged suburban white men until we "find out what's going on." He didn't need explosives, detailed plans, or the financial backing of a faraway clandestine cell. He had the tacit approval of an entire administration. This one-man army "took his country back." And the president said nothing.
Jaganmohan Reddy shows a picture of his son Alok Madasani in Hyderabad, India, after Alok was injured in the shooting. Photo by Noah Seelam/AFP/Getty Images.
I don't expect the president to respond to everything, but I do expect him to respond and condemn acts of terror and hate — especially those happening right here at home.
On an average day in the U.S., 93 people are killed with guns. Targeted attacks against African-Americans, Muslims, and Latinos have gone largely unchecked by Trump's team since the election. In 2017 alone, Jewish Community Centers across the United States have received close to 70 bomb threats, causing chaos, fear, and confusion.
Heather Lindsay and her partner Lexene Charles at their Connecticut home that was vandalized with a racial slur. Lindsay said their home has been vandalized multiple times. Photo by Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images.
After JCC bomb threats on Feb. 20, Trump broke his silence and spoke out against the tele-terrorism, saying, "The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil."
Photo by Olivier Douliery - Pool/Getty Images.
He's quick to remind the press of his Jewish grandchildren, daughter, and son-in-law. He boasts about being the "least anti-Semitic" person we've ever met. But the self-described "law and order" candidate has yet to present actual plans to crack down on anti-Semitism or violent white nationalism.
No plans to remove Steve Bannon, whose former website is a haven for anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim sentiments. No plans to root out right-wing extremists online, where many radicalize and push their violent agendas. No plans to help local law enforcement support and assist the synagogues, mosques, and community centers under attack or to help bring the perpetrators to justice. Again, the silence is deafening.
President Trump at Ben Carson's exhibit at the National Museum of African-American History and Culture. Photo by Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images.
I don't want to think about what it will take to get Trump to actually do something about white supremacy.
Instead, all of us can do our part. We can stand up for victims like Kuchibhotla, support individuals and groups targeted by right-wing extremism, and take to the streets and the ballot box so our representatives know that white supremacy has no place in our communities or government.
Beaver in water. Photo by 
An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Not just coworkers—family, friends, strangers, kids…
Imagine having to go so badly but being out of euros. 
Anything hobbit-esque can't be wrong. 
But what if you need pain meds AND mascara?!
Imagine how this would affect childcare.
Honestly…where's the lie?
A brown buddha statue sits near a green mountain. Photo by 
Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️
Ladybug unexpectedly found during colonoscopyPhoto credit: 
Close-up of bottom of ladybug found in colonPhoto credit: 
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."