2007: Why does Buffett donate to Planned Parenthood?
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Hello, Charlie, Warren. Bill Paparella (PH) from St. James, New York.
Warren, I brought my ten-year-old daughter, Gina, with me. She asked me last summer, “How do I get rich?”
So I gave her your letters, writings, even gave her “Charlie’s Almanack.”
So she’s been reading it ever since, asking me a lot of questions. So I said, “Maybe we’ll go to our first meeting together.”
WARREN BUFFETT: Is she married? I mean, she’s the kind of girl I want my granddaughter — or grandson — to meet. (Laughs)
AUDIENCE MEMBER: So we’re learning together.
Warren, my question for you is in regards to your recent charitable gifts. And if I could start by saying that I mean no disrespect. You’re my hero. So — and nor is it political.
WARREN BUFFETT: You’re doing fine so far. (Laughter)
AUDIENCE MEMBER: OK. I am, as a father of five daughters, perplexed and upset that one — or I’ve read — that one or more of these foundations is a big supporter of Planned Parenthood and abortion rights. (Scattered applause)
If you were to go on the Planned Parenthood website, you would see a website that promotes promiscuity, goes out of its way to support internet porn — (audience noises)
WARREN BUFFETT: Yeah. Let’s get to the question, please. Do you have a question?
AUDIENCE MEMBER: The question is, Warren, I was hoping that you could speak to the billions of dollars that’s been allocated with an agency as Planned Parenthood that is very well-funded.
It just doesn’t seem to jive with the hero that I study, and I was hoping that you could speak to it.
WARREN BUFFETT: Yeah. Well, I’ll be glad to speak to it. I think it’s a terrific organization. (Applause with some boos)
And I really think it’s too bad that for millennia, you know, women, not only in the United States, but all over the world, you know, have had involuntary bearing of babies forced upon them, and usually by a government run by men. (Applause)
So I don’t think we want to get into a — we don’t want to get into a cheering contest here — but, you know, I think that it’s a very important issue.
I think it tends to have a small natural funding constituency because it isn’t a popular-type thing where it’s like sticking your name on a hospital or something like that.
But I would say that if we’d had a Supreme Court with nine women on it starting when the country became the United States, that by now I don’t think a question like yours would even be being raised.
You know, men set the rules for a lot of years — (applause) — and I think it’s wonderful that a woman can make reproductive choices.
But, you know, I’ve got a lot of people that disagree with me on that. I’ve got a lot of people that agree with me on it. And I hope you’ll respect my opinion as I do yours. Thank you. (Applause)