I mentioned we’re not very good at soundbites and snapshots.

Why not?

Because we typically paint pictures in big brushstrokes… with a fat brush.

And we assume that…

Ann Coulter represents most conservative republicans.

Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson speak for all evangelical Christians.

Cindy Sheehan embodies the voice against the war in Iraq.

Zarqawi personifies Muslims.

Bernie Ebbers, Ken Lay, and Martha Stewart are the same… as are all CEOs.

All fast food is like McDonald’s.

All coffee drinkers like Starbucks.

All women like pink.

All men like sexy commercials.

All baby boomers like the Stones or Hendrix.

All families want bigger homes and bigger cars.

Maybe I’m naive, but I think we can do better. I think we can see the smaller strokes and paint ourselves with the narrow brush. But not everyone will be bold enough to step out of the broad strokes. Sometimes we want too badly to belong. Sometimes we want an easy way to marginalize the other paint on the canvas.

But maybe you will pick up the narrow brush today.