Is Cheney Dr. Strangelove?

During yesterday's historic presidential inauguration, Dick Cheney could be seen in a wheelchair. Apparently, he sprained his back recently and it was too painful to walk. Considering all the stairs visible along the path to where all the dignitaries were seated and President Obama was sworn in, I do not blame him one bit. Why he was in a rickety hospital-style wheelchair, considering how easy it would've been for a person of his influence to procure a rental of much better quality, is beyond me.

Much was made of Cheney's appearance in a wheelchair by numerous commentators covering the event. One such observation, made by Tom Brokaw of NBC News, suggested that many might use this opportunity to compare Cheney to Dr. Strangelove and that Cheney would not be too happy about it. Dr. Strangelove is a fictional character from the 1964 Stanley Kubrick film by the same name. Dr. Strangelove is an ex-Nazi nuclear physicist, a mad scientist of sorts, who happens to be in a wheelchair. It is subtly implied that his being in a wheelchair is a consequence of past evil deeds. He even has "alien hand syndrome" where one of his hands seems to have a mind of its own and tries to strangle Dr. Strangelove on several occasions. It was not uncommon in film during this era for "mad scientist" antagonists to have disability/disabilities and, even though it is far less common today, this trend still exists.

As a person with a disability, I feel Brokaw's observation (mirrored by other journalists since), that people are going to think that all the wrongs Cheney has done have put him in a wheelchair, was a bit out of line, especially considering that Brokaw himself probably caused more people to draw that connection than those that had already drawn it in their heads. I am in no way claiming Cheney is a good man (I despise the man), I am instead arguing the fact that the connection was unfair to people with disabilities everywhere. Having a disability should never be thought of as a just consequence for past sins.

Brokaw, a man I deeply respect and have enjoyed watching for years, had every opportunity to connect what will likely be a short stint in a wheelchair with something, anything positive about disabilities. A very good example would have been to discuss FDR's modifications to the Whitehouse that laid the foundations for future modifications that has allowed Cheney to use a wheelchair in the Whitehouse almost 70 years later.

I'm sure most, if not all Americans are tired of Cheney's antics and are glad to see him leave, but Brokaw and others who have made similar comments have the journalistic responsibility to make sure no minority group gets caught in the crossfire and to ensure stereotypes such as this are not perpetuated. Journalists may not believe the stereotype in question, but bringing it to the forefront of viewers'/readers' minds is just as damaging to people with disabilities.