America and The Islamic Relation

The western have Orientals tradition in their academic that concerns Islam with bias perspective. Edward Said explain about the fact clearly. He is the one of non -Muslim`s intellectual. It tradition is not only used in academic but also as reference in making the western `s countries policy about East. The perspective give significant contribution-even thought is not the only one-in colonialism and imperialism policy. Based on the perspective colonialism is just enlightenment process for the East societies. They suspect the East societies blank about law, modern knowledge, individual freedom, the civilian`s right and obligation, Egaliterism, equality of gender, etc. colonialism believed as education process for the enlightenment. For that reason such perspective have strategic value in relation among the culture and civilization. So what about Islam in American sight?

Couldn`t be separated
America couldn`t be separated with the western perspective. But time makes America have the new opinion about Islam at the end of 20th century. It is perspective represented in “The Meridian House`s speech that stated by Edward Djerejian (the assistance of Minister of foreign affair for Near-East affair at Meridian House International, Washington on June, 1992). The American government has responsibility in formulating the clear policy statement about Islam. The result can be seen in Meridian speech that stated by the government of United Stated. The speech explains about critical effort done by America to solve the tension and ambiguity in US approach toward the Islamic resurgence. In addition the statement has begun the changing in American government about Islam.

The Meridian`s speech makes an intellectual context that able to be the governance basic in the next governance in seeing Islamic phenomenon. The speech explains that, “the American governance doesn`t see Islam as another “ism” whose challenge the Western or treat the world peacefulness. It is the simplistic respond toward the complex fact…the cold war didn`t be changed by the new competition between Islam and western. The Crusader was end long time ago. The American seeing Islam as a historical civilization power among the powers that has influence and enrich our culture” (speech of The Meridian House, 1992).

Not competitor
For America, the Islamic civilization is not a. competitor in global context. Some observer estimate that after the cold war that indicated with the collapse of Soviet Union as the symbol of communist`s ideology, the new clash would be happened between western and Islam. It is prediction stated by Samuel P.Huntington in “The Clash of Civilization”. He explains that the recent world become smaller, interaction among different civilization getting increase, the interaction would increase the awareness in a difference. He concludes that the stronger awareness of the difference between Islam- western would create a confrontation relation. But American government refuses the statement in many tings, especially Bill Clinton. The clash occurred is not between Islam-Western, because the American enemy is terrorist in religion and secular.

United Stated see Islam with full of appreciate. The opinion didn`t said based on the temporary interest. Even thought it just symbolist-psychologist because doesn`t explain about Islam-America relation clearly, but at least it has reflect about the America opinion about Islam. The opinion about Islam who suspects Islam is terrorist, like violence, intolerant, disharmony, undemocratic, has far from American estimation. The humanist and tolerance perspective about Islam has opened the large gate for good relation. (CMM/rd)