by J. R. Practix

Able: adj. 1.having the power, skill, means or opportunity to do something: He was able to read Greek at the age of eight 2. having considerable skill, proficiency: The dancers were technically very able.

Able-bodied.

You know what’s funny about that phrase? It’s always followed by the word man.

“Able-bodied man.”

Apparently, women’s bodies are not able.

Although I would vigorously object to that conclusion, I would hesitate to use the word “able” by itself. Because certainly our politicians in Washington are able. Many of them are able-bodied, which they are delighted to demonstrate as they quickly climb stairs to overcome the notion of pending senility.

But what I want to know–what I’m curious about–and what haunts my consciousness, is: “Are they ready?”

Because to have “able” without “ready” is the concept that because somebody has the look of success, they actually are going to be ready to deliver the goods. So not only is “able-bodied man” a bigoted phrase, but the whole presentation that having physical prowess has anything whatsoever to do with coming up with a good idea on the spot, to overcome stupidity, is equally fallacious.

So even though I’m glad that “able” is in the dictionary, we should be careful in our assessment of our fellow-human-beings, to make sure that with their ability–with their able-bodiedness–is also some confirmation that they are ready.

Otherwise, we might end up with a stalemate, where able people who are not ready actually are making decisions for our lives while lifting weights instead of lifting our burdens.