The Iowa Mercury

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Freedom's Final Rattle
(The following is a poem from Iowa Mercury founder and writer Douglas Burns on the urgency of truth of America today.) Soul-stealing hopelessness Dark…
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Douglas Burns
7
Inside angle: The power of hand-made political protest poster art in a digital age
The rich history of art as protest is a more forceful feature of a progressive-leaning Iowa organization that's been elevating the medium in the months…
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Douglas Burns
4
BREAKING: Trump plans to be cryogenically frozen, return to run for White House in coming centuries
The Year 2120 Corp., a pioneering cryonics research-and-development lab, has announced a ground-breaking pact with former President Donald Trump, one…
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Douglas Burns
10

March 2024

Blue Missouri leader tells rural Iowa Democrats: Don't talk about Biden
DES MOINES, Iowa Even with strong job growth, infrastructure development, including boosts to ag regions, and other financial metrics trending…
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Douglas Burns
3
R.F. Kuang's novel 'Yellowface' delivers page-turning, intensely relevant magic
(Editor's Note: This is a spoiler-free review) Juniper Song, a white author who altered her name for a more eastern ring, doesn't let cultural…
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Douglas Burns
3
The curious case of Mike Pence in Iowa
Mike Pence could give marital advice. But not for the reasons you think. He has much in common with long-loyal spouses spurned for the fresh, flashy new…
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Douglas Burns
7
What one great teacher means
The enduring legacy of Carroll, Iowa's Mr. Knott. The late teacher empowered generations to lead self-examining lives
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Douglas Burns
6
With Hunter Biden, Hillary caricatures, 'The Beekeeper' is a not-so-subtle Trump fantasy movie
If civil judgments don't drain the Trump Machine into cashless-ness the former president may want to open up theaters in the swing states for free…
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Douglas Burns
5
A new Denison, Iowa twist on the Old Fashioned
(Editor’s Note: This feature first appeared in the independent, 100 percent Latino-owned Denison Free Press.) A Prohibition era-themed bar with a…
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Douglas Burns
1

February 2024

Q&A with pioneering Iowa State Rep. Josh Turek
Tapping into Iowa's talented disability community to fill careers, jobs, boost the state's economy
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Douglas Burns
6
'From Loss To Light:' A candid conversation about grief, economic dislocation
For some time I’ve hesitated to accept an invitation to appear on a podcast on grief — “From Loss To Light” — hosted by Angie Hanson of Omaha, Nebraska…
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Douglas Burns
2
Veiled In Strength: A conversation with Muslim women in Iowa
The hijab, worn to demonstrate modesty and faith, is empowering, not oppressive, to women of the Muslim faith, said 45-year-old Viana Qadoura of Iowa…
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Douglas Burns
3
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