COSBY: And, today, were hearing more about the injuries of Pittsburgh Steelers star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The 24-year-old is now in fair condition at a local hospital, after his motorcycle collided with a car yesterday. Roethlisberger was not wearing a helmet and suffered severe injuries.
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DR. LARRY JONES, MERCY HOSPITAL: Fractures to his upper and lower jaws, a mild concussion, a fractured nose, fractured facial bones, multiple head lacerations, multiple abrasions and contusions. He has lost two teeth, and he has chipped several other teeth.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSBY: And, as he recovers, the helmet debate is getting new attention.
The state of Michigan is proposing a repeal to reverse its current mandatory helmet law. If the governor signs the bill into law, people at least 21-years-old who meet certain safety requirements wont have to wear a helmet.
And that has actor Gary Busey, who joins me now live, furious. Also joining us is Michigan State Representative Rick Baxter. Hes on the other side, supporting the repeal of the helmet law.
Gary, let start with you, first of all. What do you want to say to the state of Michigan tonight?
BUSEY: The state of Michigan?
COSBY: Yeah, what do you think for folks like the representative right there, who are thinking and saying, maybe its OK for no helmets?
BUSEY: Youre talking too fast, Rita.
COSBY: What do you think for folks - what would you say to people who are saying no helmets are OK?
BUSEY: Well, I think its just absolutely unawareness of the power of life over the power of death. And the situation with not a helmet on. Heres a helmet Ill show you as I did yesterday. This is what it looks like on. You can rap it, hit it and when you hit your head on the road coming off the motorcycle, you save your skull being split, a holy in your skull the size of a 50-cent piece which happened to me December 4, 1998.
The people that want to repeal the helmet law arent aware of the families that are going to be hurt, the insurance rates that will go up, collective insurance all across the State of Michigan. And Michigan is a beautiful state. Its an honorable state, its a great state. But when they want to repeal the law that keeps people alive rather than have the death rates go up by the thousands, thats what they are going to do.
COSBY: Let me bring in the representative to get his side will quick.
Representative, why do you think its ok for no helmets for folks over 21?
Why do you think this newer vision could be OK?
BAXTER: Well, for me, it comes down to personal choice and personal freedom. Thats really what the legislature looked at when we looked at changing the law.
COSBY: What about Garys point, more accidents? Doesnt it make people more vulnerable.
BAXTER: Like I said, I think it comes down to personal freedom. Government can get involved in a lot of different areas of life, regulating it and make it more safe. If they really wanted to make things really safe, outlaw motorcycles in general, they would outlaw riding a car, thats pretty dangerous, or fatty foods. Government could do a lot of things to make us more safe, make us more healthy.
But really, this country, last I checked was a free country and we really need to give people the choice to make the best decisions for themselves.
COSBY: Well, why dont we give them guns and everything else, congressman, and say, you know, do whatever you want to do?
BUSEY: Are you talking to me? You talking to me?
COSBY: No, the representative - well, actually, let me get you Gary, to respond to that. Where do we draw the line, what do you make about his personal liberties that everybody should have a choice?
BUSEY: Well, I think the people that are repealing the helmet law have no awareness of how dangerous a crash is on a motorcycle, off a motorcycle on to concrete. Public policy should not be made by compromising human safety.
MIAA spokesman Gary Mitchell said in a statement repealing the helmet law would be a tragic and costly mistake and terms of lives and millions of dollars in increased insurance costs and medical costs. And this, arguing for helmets going to offend those who want to have the wind in their hair and what to have peripheral vision and dont want to get their necks broken.
But those statistics have been banished because wearing a helmet doesnt injure your neck or cause you to have no peripheral vision. And the encroachment on their libertyits not the liberty. Its to save lives. Keep families happy. So, wait a minute. Keep families happy without mourning for the rest of their lives. And operating a vehicle is a privilege - wait a minute, wait a minute - operating a vehicle is a privilege not a right. And they need to be protected in the right way.
COSBY: Go ahead, representative.
BAXTER: Well, as a free country, as a State of Michigan that is - Id agree with him that Michigan is a beautiful state. But two thirds of the legislature agreed that this comes down to personal liberty and it comes to personal choice. For this, you know, if this is what the State of Michigan wants. If people want to go out and take this risk, we want to give them the free liberty to say, this is a free country, you need to be insured, you need to go through training courses, and we try to push education.
COSBY: Gary, go ahead. Chime in Gary.
BUSEY: OK. Listen free liberties. If theyre not going to wear a helmet you should give them freedom to commit suicide in the most stupidest way you can which is not wearing a helmet to protect your head.
When you have 750 pounds of chrome metals, steel and iron between your legs and you have nothing but air between your head and road and you are an idiot to be riding it. If you are going to repeal the helmet law, you are going to have a legacy of death rate going up up up on your watch. And thats a shame that you have that unawareness.
BAXTER: Well, motorcycles in general are dangerous vehicles. Gary, youd have to agree that driving a motorcycle in general is a dangerous situation.
COSBY: So, representative why do you want to make it more dangerous?
BUSEY: Very good. Very good.
BAXTER: Well, you take a chance when you leave your house every single day, whether walking down the steps, getting in a car or sitting on a motorcycle. We cant stop people from having risks. What we say is you need to take the proper precautions, we want to give you the choice to make the decisions that is best for you and your family.
COSBY: Real quick, Gary, go ahead.
BUSEY: The decision you are making, whats right for your family, your children, your business, and your friends is keeping safe on the highway. I know from personal experience it can happen like that. Skull split open, brains on the street. It can happen like that. And the death rate flies up when the helmet law is repealed. Why do you want that miserable nightmare on your watch?
COSBY: And both of you. Im going to interrupt well quick. Im going to have you real, real quick. What do you think is going to happen in Michigan? Will the governor veto it? Real quick, Gary?
BUSEY: Me, I pray she does because she will be saving lives, the death rate will stay down. More safety on the highway and Michigan will have a lota much better image.
COSBY: OK, Gary. Let me bring in Representative Baxter .
BUSEY: This is great. This is great. I love it.
COSBY: Real quick. Representative what do you think is going to happen? Five seconds.
BAXTER: It looks like the governor probably might veto the legislation and then its up to the legislature to see what were going to do with it at that point.
COSBY: All right. Both of you. To be continued. Both of you, thank you so much.
BUSEY: Thank you. Nice talking to you, Rick. Adios.
COSBY: Camaraderie afterwards.
Then theres a lot more coming up here on MSNBC. Tonight, my come, Tucker Carlson, what do you have in store, Tuck?
TUCKER CARLSON, MSNBC HOST: Well, I have awe at Gary Busey. Now in charge of public policy, Gary Busey!
COSBY: With the helmet, did you see, with the helmet?
CARLSON: Gary Busey, keep your hands off my laws. Thats my feeling.
Rita, tonight, public confidence in the prosecution of Mike Nifong in the Duke rape hoax at an all time low. Calls tonight for removal and the installation of a special prosecutor in that case. Well tell you more.
Plus, who would you rather have dinner with, Condoleezza Rice or Oprah? The numbers are in and you have to watch our show to find out.
COSBY: And well be watching in just a few minutes from now, Tucker.
CARLSON: Thanks, Rita.
COSBY: Thank you, thank you very much.