MANKATO — Typically, when a speaker comes to Minnesota State University, he or she tells their life story or speaks about their profession or career or at least tells a few jokes.
Such was not the case with Billy Golfus, a former Minneapolis radio journalist whose near-fatal traffic crash left him with brain damage.
Instead of talking about life after the crash, Golfus turned the microphone over to the audience for an impromptu discussion of the case of Floridian Terri Schiavo, the woman whose vegetative state has prompted much discussion around the country about feeding tubes, living wills and the role of the government in deciding who gets to make life-or-death decisions.
After showing "When Billy Lost His Head," Golfus' documentary about his very different life after the accident, he took the stage for the discussion portion of his visit to MSU.
"I'm actually interested in how you guys feel about what's going on in Florida right now," he told the audience.
Silence.
"Does anybody here have any feelings at all about this?"
And eventually, the hands went up.
"I think that the feeding tube should be kept in and I agree with the president," a woman in the front row said, referring to George W. Bush's stance that wishes of Schiavo's parents, who want her kept alive, should be honored. "She breathes ... She smiles."
Another student chimes in.
"I don't care what the outcome is," she says, after saying her family dealt with a similar situation. "It's a very, very gut-wrenching decision and a terrible position to be in."
And from the other side of the room ...
"As this situation evolves into a political sideshow, we hear an awful lot about the compassionate thing to do," he said. "And I can buy into that. But the people behind those words are the same ones behind the diminishing access to health care."
"If I could add to that," another man says. "These are the same people who have passed a bankruptcy law that says that even after you've declared bankruptcy, you're still liable for your medical bills."
And the debate went on.
The stage was set well for the discussion by Golfus' film. "When Billy Broke His Head" is a biting first-person documentary of the everyday difficulties that confront people with disabilities - many of which people without disabilities would never have to think about.
In a manner reminiscent of Michael Moore's "Roger and Me," the film chronicles Golfus' attempt to figure out why America makes things so difficult for people with disabilities. One of the film's most telling moments is when Golfus' disability income is reduced. When he tries to find out why, he's met with a response heavy on bureaucracy and numbers and left with no good reason.
The film visits prominent disability activists and people who have overcome their disabilities and found successful careers. It also features his father, who is seen telling his disabled son that if he were ever permanently disabled, he'd rather die. Earlier in the film, however, his father had told him some disabled people simply need determination to overcome obstacles.
Student reaction was positive.
"It was very, very enlightening to me," said Debbie Leider, a student who commutes from Plymouth. "I was really blown away."
She said she came because her business law professor offered extra credit. The film, she said, had big impact on her.
"It's enough to move someone to activism," she said.
And Andrea Drummond, a MSU graduate student and New Orleans transplant, said the Terri Schiavo discussion surprised her, but didn't disappoint her.
"We need more sessions like this so people can be aware," Drummond said. "It's an issue that needs to be discussed."
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