AOC honors Jamie Raskin's son Tommy

[Dem4Life1102]

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[panader0]

1. She has so much class.

Off topic, but why did Tommy Raskin commit suicide?

[3catwoman3]

2. Serious clinical depression that was not...

...responding to treatment.

[OldBaldy1701E]

3. At least

his family was wealthy enough for him to attempt treatment. Unlike 90% of the population.

[nuxvomica]

4. The simple answer is he suffered from depression

The NPR article linked in the tweet goes into it. But suicide always leaves complicated questions. I've read some of Tommy's work and he appears to have been a remarkably compassionate person. One theory about suicide is that it is rage turned inward, that people who are morally disciplined yet feel intense rage about circumstances cannot express it and defuse it so easily, and it becomes internalized. There's been a lot to be enraged about the past five years, especially for compassionate, empathetic people, and a lot of people feel powerless in the face of it. This is not a neat answer to the question of why but it may be useful to remember that many out there are in this struggle and we should keep aware of that.