In a big country

Australians know a lot about the US.  Their news covers far more about our happenings, our economy and our politics than our news covers of all other countries combined.  However, it's our pop culture that seems to make the lasting impression and fleshes out their perceptions of us.

Recent events have resulted in me suddenly being the voice of my people.  And, being asked to justify or defend behavior I do not endorse.  It's a big country, with a plethora of opinions and lifestyles.  It's been odd to see Americans through another lens ... one that lumps them into a single persona.

For example, the recent Colorado shooting brought the US lack of gun control to the fore.  I heard the phrase "all Americans are armed to the teeth" many, many times a day.  I fielded questions like, "how many guns do you own" and "weren't you afraid".

My personal feelings about gun control aside, I found myself offended.

"How does your politicians spouting platitudes and generalizations about all Americans being armed to the teeth help further along the conversations towards a real solution?" I complained to B.

Another example is religion.  During a visit with some friends of B, the conversation went like this:
A: "Are you religious?"
Me: "I have a belief system that is important to me, but I don't align myself with a particular religion."
A: "Really?  I thought all Americans were super religious."
Me: "I don't don't think so.  I think something like 80 percent consider themselves a certain religion, but don't actively practice that religion."
A: "Huh.  What about all those religious TV people asking for money and those guys picketing at soldiers' funerals?  They're a big deal, right? Isn't that what most Americans believe?"
Me: "Wow.  That's what you think about faith in America?  I think those groups are very vocal, but very small."

We're being judged by the groups that make the most noise.  Right or wrong.

My takeaway?  Be sure my voice starts getting heard and find a way to cancel out the noise of the vocal minority when they don't represent what I believe to be true.  Otherwise, the world will continue to frame all Americans by what the loudest among us says.