AOC vows to go vegetarian for Lent to honor Rep. Jamie Raskin’s late son
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is going meatless for Lent — and not just for a healthy diet cleanse.
The progressive congresswoman is going vegetarian for 40 days to honor the memory of Tommy Raskin, the son of Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) who died by suicide on New Year’s Eve.
AOC is asking her 12.4 million Twitter followers to skip burgers and chicken until Easter as a way of paying tribute to Tommy Raskin’s altruistic spirit.
Ok everyone, I need help!
A few weeks ago I told @RepRaskin that this year I wanted to adopt a vegetarian diet for Lent in memory of his son Tommy.
Jamie said, “Well you’d have to do it the way Tommy would, which means bring people along with you!” ☺️
So, I have 3 requests:— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 18, 2021
“Please consider doing so in the spirit of Tommy,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote. “He loved the world so much and dedicated his life to reducing suffering around the world.”
There’s no official tally on those going the beans, broccoli and pasta route for a few weeks. But AOC’s post has received a whopping 58,000 likes and counting.
The inclusion-conscious progressive lawmaker added that you don’t have to be Catholic to join the party and you can even just do one or two days a week.
“No judgment!” she tweeted.
Tommy Raskin’s suicide became much more widely known when his father mentioned his death during the Trump impeachment trial, where he served as lead manager for Democratic lawmakers.
Raskin told senators that his surviving daughter did not want to return to the Capitol after being trapped by pro-Trump rioters who stormed the building on Jan. 6.
The impeachment manager, who is Jewish and does not celebrate Lent, gave his blessing to AOC’s project, which he said his late son would approve of.
“Do it the way Tommy would, which means bring people along with you!” Raskin told Ocasio-Cortez, she tweeted.
