Meanwhile, maniacs shouting deranged slogans and threats were storming down the hallways of Congress in search of enemies. At the Capitol, Raskin told me, he could still hear the sounds of the day before: the prayers of mourning, the clods of dirt shovelled onto the casket. This bloody assault, which threatened constitutional democracy and the nation’s democratically elected leaders, came just one day after the burial of Thomas Bloom Raskin, the congressman’s beloved twenty-five-year-old son. He was at the Capitol with his colleagues on January 6, 2021, to witness what should have been the routine certification of Joe Biden’s election as President.
A Democratic member of the House, Raskin is fifty-nine and represents Maryland’s Eighth District. Others on Time’s list of “most influential people” for 2021 are distinctly more inspiring– Stacey Abrams, for example, who is leading the fight against voter suppression in the U.S., or the Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, who is languishing in a prison camp at the order of Vladimir Putin.Īnd yet one person of the year, an individual who embodies both the tragedy and resilience of our time, was missing: Jamie Raskin. I speak for no one except myself, but is this the moment to valorize a supposed man of science who cast early doubt on the COVID vaccines and told the world that “kids are essentially immune”? Might as well give the accolade to Eric Clapton. This year, the wealthiest individual in the world, Elon Musk, was Time’s choice for Person of the Year. seized Time’s cover and the annual laurel in Dumbo’s stead. Alas, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, rudely relegating the animated pachyderm to the inside pages of the magazine. In 1941, the editors tapped Dumbo, the Disney elephant, as Mammal of the Year. There have been a few odd choices along the way. This editorial gambit proved a winner on the newsstand, and a parade of Presidents, Prime Ministers, and other worthies followed. Proud to cast this vote.- Rep.Ninety-four years ago, the editors of Time magazine declared the transatlantic aviator and anti-Semite Charles Lindbergh their first-ever Man of the Year. The Build Back Better Act means strong climate action, a tax cut for working families and the fix to predatory drug pricing America needs. We just passed the most significant investment in the American people’s quality of life in more than a half-century. Howard County Executive Calvin Ball tweet read, "Losing a child is an unimaginable tragedy, and on behalf of the County residents, prayers are with the Raskin family and wish them strength in future years ahead to overcome such a devastating loss". Jamie's colleagues expressed their condolences over the loss on Twitter and statements released over the weekend. Hundreds of his friends adored him, and it was hard for his family to see their son in that situation. According to his family, Tommy Raskin began to be tortured later in his 20s by depression.įurthermore, Tommy's sister Tabitha put it on Facebook over the weekend that it was relentless torture in the brain for him despite excellent doctors and loving family.