Danger!

This one deserves a commentary. This shot is planned, though very fast and with some luck. It also reveals something about my sentiment, when it comes to the debate about Muslims in the Western societies in general, and Palestinians in the Israeli society particularly.

The sign says "Danger - construction zone" (or more precise, they are building here).
The danger part is referring, in my composition here, to the stamp we too often give Muslims. Danger, against us and our society. We don't know anything about this particular Muslim woman, this individual being. I imagine her as a mother, who is trying to create - to build - a home for her children. But that is my subjective interpretation. Others would see her as a person building threats to whichever group they themselves are part of. But we don't ask her, rarely do we allow the individual Muslim or Palestinian being allowed to talk for him or herself. Just for themself. If we use Muslims/Palestinians to talk for them, it is most often someone who says something, which fits our own narrative.

But here is the underlying premise I want to present with this photo. There is a danger here. The danger is within ourselves, in what we are building, when we look at this woman, and automatically want to talk for her or use her in our own personal narratives. When we put her in a box, whichever box that might be, and don't treat her as an independent individual being, who can and should be allowed to talk for herself. When the mere sight of her triggers our insecurities or conceptions of a whole segment, which again consists of several individual beings, with each their own thoughts, ideas, dreams, and longings.

The danger is what we build ourselves up to become, as individuals and as a society. She is merely the trigger.