At anti-abortion rally, NC Lt. Gov. Robinson says his faith will influence his policy
Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, born the ninth of 10 children, said he grew up poor and witnessed alcoholism in his family. During an impassioned speech to a crowd gathered at an anti-abortion rally Saturday afternoon, he said he could have ended up “on the abortion table,” if it were up to people who believe in abortion rights.
But in November, despite “having every strike” against him, he was elected North Carolina’s first Black lieutenant governor.
“There is no greater mission on earth than standing up for the most defenseless among us,” said Robinson, a Republican. “We cannot say we believe in equality, we cannot say that Black lives matter or all lives matter or blue lives matter until we say unborn lives matter, because that is where it all starts.”
It was the 27th annual anti-abortion event organized by North Carolina Right to Life. Several hundred people gathered in the Bicentennial Plaza corridor between the North Carolina State Capitol and General Assembly building and then marched on a chilly Saturday afternoon.
Robinson, in one of his first major speeches since being elected, led the keynote message at the event that emphasized his support for anti-abortion legislation.
He was introduced by former North Carolina congressman Mark Walker, who has said he will run for the U.S. Senate in 2022.
“It’s not enough to preach to the choir,” Walker said. “We have to take this message of individual liberty and pro-life to new places and new communities.”
Robinson highlighted his openness to share his Christian faith as an elected official to the crowd.
“I get a lot of pushback,” Robinson said. “A lot of folks that tell me, ‘You know, you need to ease up on whole religious thing.’ You know, that’s too bad. You don’t want to hear about my faith? You don’t want to hear about me.”
The crowd, about half of whom were wearing masks, cheered.
He criticized the Black Lives Matter movement and said the term “a woman’s right to choose” is a term to hide “an egregious act.”
“We will not silently go into the night,” Robinson said. “It’s what they want. It’s what they expect.”
Election results still at the forefront
The event was held days before President-elect Joe Biden, a Democrat, is sworn in as president. Biden, who said he believes in abortion rights, has said he would protect the rights given under Roe v. Wade, should a Supreme Court with a new conservative majority strike it down. He also has said he would restore funding to Planned Parenthood, Axios reports.
The election remained fresh on people’s minds, and Bill Pincus, the president of the North Carolina Right to Life organization, told the crowd that voting matters and to continue to vote for candidates who support abortion restrictions.
Newly elected Republican state Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Newby, who is anti-abortion, won by just over 400 votes, he pointed out.
A few attendees wore Make America Great Again hats and “Don’t Tread On Me” paraphernalia, a symbol linked to the riot on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump Jan. 6.
“I don’t strictly endorse conservative candidates, but I will endorse anyone who’s pro-life, because that’s the most important issue to me,” said Richard Pincus, 22, a recent N.C. State University graduate at the rally.
Pincus said he voted for Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Forest in 2020 for his religious activism with anti-abortion organizations.
Trump has been a good president because of his support for the anti-abortion movement, said Alfredo Yax Tumax, who drove from Morganton for the rally.
“There are other things that he’s not doing well, but he supports the right to life and that matters to me,” said Yax Tumax, 40, who is a Guatemalan immigrant.
This story was originally published January 16, 2021 at 5:12 PM with the headline "At anti-abortion rally, NC Lt. Gov. Robinson says his faith will influence his policy."
