WorldNetDaily | June 28, 2006

Pro-life advocates are concerned about investment guru Warren Buffett's massive donation to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation because of the Microsoft founder's support for abortion.

The Gates Foundation has given the Planned Parenthood Federation of America almost $12.5 million since 1998, including funds to persuade teens to support abortion and to lobby the United Nations to advance pro-abortion proposals, reported LifeNews.com

The foundation also has given nearly $21 million to International Planned Parenthood over the last seven years, where funds have been used to promote abortions in third-world nations and to set up pro-abortion family planning centers in South America, Africa and Eastern Europe.

Buffet, whose wealth is second only to Gates', has announced he will leave about 80 percent of his estate to the Gates Foundation.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the pro-life women's network Susan B. Anthony List lamented Buffett's decision.

"It's tragic that much of Warren Buffett's billion-dollar attempt to improve the lives of people around the world is actually going to fund organizations that take the lives of unborn children and encourage others to do the same," said Dannenfelser.

Beginning next month, Buffett, 75, will make annual contributions to the foundation through stock options.

Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, will give the Gates Foundation more than 12 million shares of his company's stock, according to the Associated Press. At just over $3,000 per share, it would add $37 billion to the Gates Foundation's $29 billion, making it the world's largest charity.

Bill and Melinda Gates also have spent millions promoting abortion in their home state, having given nearly $2 million to Planned Parenthood of Central Washington and Planned Parenthood of Western Washington to fund abortion centers.

The Gates Foundation also gave the Planned Parenthood Federation of Canada more than $1.3 million.

"The tragedy of Bill Gates' support of abortion and population control is that technology leads to development," said Steven Mosher, president of the Population Research Institute, according to LifeNews.com

"Unfortunately, the developing world will grow old before it develops because of population control. Gates, in supporting population control, is out of step with other great minds who have viewed people as humanity's greatest resource," Mosher said.

At Microsoft's 2003 annual shareholders meeting, Mosher's group failed to win approval for a motion to stop Microsoft from directly contributing to charities, citing its support for Planned Parenthood.