Good News, Bad News/Rant & Recipe

OK, time for another post (past time really, sorry.) Three topics for today, lets start on a high note. I just discovered this recently from a topic on another blog Friendly Atheist but there's a National Day of Reason and its coming up soon! May 6, so mark you calendars. Sponsored by the American Humanist Association in a response/protest of the National Day of Prayer which they feel (rightly so in my opinion) is exclusionary toward non-Christians and also violates the separation of church and state. I think this is a great idea, but i can't find why its on May 6th, wish it were a weekend, I'd love to have a Day of Reason picnic at a local park. Anyone who knows the significance of this date, please let me know.

Next topic, which saddens and angers me. Another child bride has died in Yemen. The girl, 13 years old, died of internal injuries suffered when her husband forced himself on her sexually. (CNN report i read said she was 12) While the Catholic abuse scandal is getting lots of press (deservedly so, its appalling) this kind of thing gets less coverage. Its not an apples to apples comparison, but if there was what they called a wedding, there was presumably a member of the Islamic clergy present. This is institutionalized child abuse endorsed by a measurable percentage of the Muslim world. The article shows a heartening number of people protesting; but compare this protest to the riots after the Dutch cartoonist drew cartoons that were deemed insulting to Mohammed. This is not a cultural difference, this is very clear universal moral outrage to me. A girl of 12 or 13 is not mentally, emotionally or physically prepared for marriage. Lest i be accused of cultural or geographic bias, i think its equally terrible that girls of similar ages are married into plural marriages in fundamentalist Mormon cults right here in my home state of Arizona. I cannot thus far recall any of them dying but that in no way excuses the practice for anyone of any belief system.

Here are some fighting words; if you feel the need to have sexual relations by way of an arranged marriage to a child, you are not a man, you are SEXUAL PREDATOR. And i don't buy it as just a different society with different customs. Considering the showing of the soles of the feet or shoes an insult is a cultural idiosyncrasy; men kissing one another on both cheeks by way of greeting instead of shaking hands is a regional societal difference. Forcing 12 or 13 year olds into marriage with drastically older men is abuse, pure and simple. Any culture or religion that tolerates or endorses such practices is barbaric.

Dramatic change of topic, to preserve my sanity. I went to a terrific Freethinker potluck this past weekend and brought along a sweet and spicy vegan friendly stir-fry. As per some requests, here is the recipe as near as i can recall/guess since i tend to kind of throw things together.

Sweet and spicy stir fry

1 whole fresh pineapple; peeled cored and cut into bite size pieces
2 red bell peppers; cut into bite sized pieces
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 or 2 handfuls of cashews, rinsed if they are salted
2 green onions, finely sliced
3/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1/3 cup of brown sugar (adjust to taste)
1 chipotle pepper very finely minced plus 1 teaspoon or so of the adobo sauce
1 Tablespoon oil (something that copes reasonably well with high heat)
salt & pepper to taste

Mix soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger chipotle pepper and adobo sauce; set aside.
Heat oil in wok on medium/medium high heat, add cashews toss/stir constantly to avoid burning for about 2 minutes. Add red pepper, toss/stir an additional 2 minutes. Add pineapple, toss/stir 2 more minutes. Add water chestnuts and sauce, reduce heat to low and simmer in the wok for about 5 minutes.

Optional step; remove all veggies from wok with slotted spoon; then allow sauce to reduce by half, adjusting seasonings for desired balance of sweetness and spiciness.
Pour sauce back over veggies in serving dish, stir, top with green onions.

Also: not being a vegan myself, when i make this at home for myself i also add 1 lb. of cut up white meat chicken at the same time as the red peppers.