Jamie Raskins year of grief and purpose
On Jan. 5, 2021, Rep. Jamie Raskin buried his only son. The next day he witnessed firsthand the attack on the Capitol. As we mark a year since the insurrection, we look at how Raskin dealt with his son\u2019s death while serving on democracy\u2019s front lines.
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A warning to listeners: This episode deals with suicide. If you or someone you know needs help now, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. You can also reach a crisis counselor by texting HOME to 741-741.
A year ago this week, as Congress convened to certify the results of the presidential election, a mob breached the U.S. Capitol, attacked police and threatened lawmakers.
Later that night, Rep. Jamie B. Raskin (D-Md.) emerged as one of the day\u2019s most forceful voices, condemning President Donald Trump and his supporters and speaking of his own unthinkable loss. He had recently lost his only son to suicide and had buried him just the day before.
As we mark a year since the Jan. 6 Insurrection, we talk to Washington Post features writer Caitlin Gibson about how Raskin dealt with his son\u2019s death while serving on democracy\u2019s front lines \u2014 and, in a year filled with trauma and grief, about why his story has resonated so deeply with so many.
Raskin\u2019s memoir was published this week. It\u2019s called \u201cUnthinkable: Trauma, Truth, and the Trials of American Democracy.\u201d
Caitlin Gibson\u2019s profile of Raskin first appeared in The Washington Post Magazine.