This viral set of tweets about becoming a U.S. citizen will bring a smile to your face.
Journalist Roger Bennett joined the ranks of the more than 700,000 people who will become American citizens in 2018.
Bennett, who co-hosts NBC Sports Network's "Men in Blazers" show and podcast, grew up in the United Kingdom. Though he's lived in the United States for some time (he got married here in 2000), it wasn't until 2014 that he committed to becoming a citizen. The process was long and tedious, but on June 1, he realized that goal.
Tomorrow, I will be sworn in as an American Citizen. Just typing those words feels emotionally overwhelming. These… https://t.co/KHL4uLouNi— roger bennett (@roger bennett) 1527794518
On Twitter, Bennett shared a powerful story about the many feelings he had about becoming a U.S. citizen in current times.
He begins by sharing the story of his great-grandfather who tried to emigrate to the U.S. in the 1890s only to mistake Liverpool for New York. "That family tale always made me feel deeply connected to America," he wrote.
It may have been the close relationship I shared with my grandfather, Sam, who also adored America. As a kid, we pl… https://t.co/fjGikMxb76— roger bennett (@roger bennett) 1527794519
Liverpool remains one of the greatest cities in the world, but in 1980's "Thatcher Britain," my hometown was econom… https://t.co/31DYQlFQoh— roger bennett (@roger bennett) 1527794520
Growing up, his view of America, communicated through pop culture, inspired him to chase his own dreams.
He even used his bedroom to display his patriotism, painting three of the walls red, white, and blue.
on television, showed me it was possible to thrive, in glorious technicolor, in a place where everything felt possi… https://t.co/giVLWiGvVZ— roger bennett (@roger bennett) 1527794520
On the fourth I designed a giant mural of the Stars and Stripes, replete with a clumsy approximation of the Manhatt… https://t.co/apgnmEYQPG— roger bennett (@roger bennett) 1527794521
After graduating from college, those dreams brought him to Chicago, due in part to his love of John Hughes films — which honestly seems as good a reason as any to choose Chicago.
Amidst my carefully constructed Coke can collection and medley of random sporting pennants, are posters of “Refrige… https://t.co/r3FS8lkGVF— roger bennett (@roger bennett) 1527794522
I moved to Chicago right after college, largely out of my love for John Hughes movies. I knew no one, working 3 shi… https://t.co/zbKOdLhrY7— roger bennett (@roger bennett) 1527794524
On the day of his naturalization ceremony, Bennett put a fine cap on his family's 130-year journey, calling it the achievement of his lifetime.
He hopes that future generations of his family will think of him and how he was the one who moved the family to America. He doesn't even care if they remember his name.
in as an American. I will have a photograph of my Grandpa Sam in my pocket as I do so. A reminder that as I become… https://t.co/RZ7uDl3Oug— roger bennett (@roger bennett) 1527794525
a murderous Cossack. He was "the Cossack Killer." I hope in 5 generations, my Men In Blazers head shot hangs on one… https://t.co/43GSR2HsAS— roger bennett (@roger bennett) 1527794528
Naturally, he celebrated his citizenship as any freshly minted American would: with a Budweiser.
He grew up dreaming of an idealized notion of America, and while it may not always live up to the model as it existed in his mind, it's a country he loves. His journey is like that of so many immigrants, just people chasing their dreams and hoping for a better world for their families. Immigrants are what make America great, whether they arrived here in the 1890s (as Bennett's great-grandfather intended) or today.
When we turn our back on immigrants, whether a starry-eyed dreamer like Bennett or someone fleeing persecution in their home country, we turn our back on our own history. Patriotism means pushing the U.S. to live up to the ideals burned into Bennett's memory, not edge toward isolation.
Welcome and congratulations, Roger Bennett, American citizen.
Last tweet before security take my phone. Am in security at the courthouse. It’s an amazingly powerful scene. Peopl… https://t.co/D58koLNnPG— roger bennett (@roger bennett) 1527860968
American Rog 🇺🇸 one of 162 New Americans Sworn in from 47 countries around the World. "I pledge allegiance to the… https://t.co/Kffzp0qzW4— roger bennett (@roger bennett) 1527870489
From a Liverpool boy who loved everything American and longed to move there, to a Gent who finally made it 30 years… https://t.co/LZ8uE64qPh— roger bennett (@roger bennett) 1527875656
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."