The Ardent, July 2026: “USA” illustrates “Declaration 2.026”

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Transcribed from the page photographs, October 12, 2026 (machine-read, then checked line by line against the image).

COVER
The Ardent · 2026 July Issue Three · Free Monthly · cover illustration by Rick Reese

CRITICISM · PAGES 4–5
On Independence and Revolution: Declaration 2.026
By Chris Giaco

“You say you want a revolution,” states the opening line of John Lennon’s famous 1968 Beatles song. While many hear the song as a clarion call for revolution, what really follows is an internal dialogue and a case study in Lennonesque ambivalence as he struggles with the practicality of enacting such a lofty, if worthy, goal by nonviolent means.

Lennon’s ambivalence was clearly evident to Nina Simone, who offered a Black Woman’s polite but pointed response less than a year later in her own version of “Revolution,” in which she testified “about destruction of all the evil that will have to end.”

But back in 1776, our forefathers not only said they wanted a revolution, but in fact put parchment into practice and enacted one IRL. And unlike Lennon’s wishy-washy stance on simultaneously counting himself both out and in, when the Founders talked about destruction, they were most decidedly in.

Like many religious texts and other Good Books, America’s founding documents — the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution — are oft-quoted but seldom read in their entirety. Worse, the oft-quoted portions are oft-quoted completely out of context, making them malleable musket fodder that can be used to mount an attack from both sides, both by land and by sea.

What better time, then, as America celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding, to remember that “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,” and “that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute New Government.” Aye, our 18th-century documents are of their time, written by ye olde White Men of the time, and some lines doth ring cringey to our modern ears and to our re-awoke sensibilities.

While this old White House is certainly in need of a major renovation, perhaps it need not be completely demolished. Perhaps we might salvage select portions of a well-constructed framework built on the rock-solid foundations of Enlightenment principles and adorned with soaring philosophic rhetoric that aspired, if imperfectly, to elevate Mankind to heavenly heights (Womankind and BIPOCkind would have to wait their turn). The blueprint we need to renovate our crumbling house is all right there in our original Declaration of Independence.

Our Founding Fathers were the original practitioners of White American grievance politics, and in the Declaration they laid out the British King’s “history of repeated injuries and usurpations” in a clear and succinct litany of 27 “Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms.” These Oppressions were not numbered in the document, but rather listed, many beginning with the flatly factual, “He has…” followed by a direct and specific accusation. After years of having their polite entreaties repeatedly ignored, our colonial ancestors saw no recourse but to boldly and roundly declare their independence from the British Crown.

It wouldn’t take a scholar of history, but only a quick scan of the daily headlines to substitute contemporary examples for each and every Oppression the Founders accused the British Crown of 250 years ago. The case to mobilize against and declare our independence from our modern American Tyranny could be made using only a few of the most obvious examples. Visionaries that they were, the architects of the Declaration hammered out the just criteria for altering or abolishing government that rang relevant from July 4, 1776 clear through to January 6, 2021:

“He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.”

(7) “He has endeavored to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners…”

(9) “He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.”

(10) “He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.”

(16) “For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world.”

(17) “For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent.”

(18) “For depriving us, in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury.”

And last, but by no means least:

(27) “He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us …”

To be sure, not all of the blame can be laid at the feet of the current Fascist Creep. America’s fascist creep began many decades ago, conflating our economic system with our political system — a textbook characteristic of fascism as articulated by one of its original progenitors, Benito Mussolini. Our democracy is now behind a paywall, with mega-corporations and their billionaire overlords openly controlling our elections, our politicians, our courts, our media, our education system, our healthcare, our social media, our privacy, our communication options, the Pandora’s box that is AI, our energy options, our food and water supply, and really just about every matter of any significance.

By any measure, Americans today are being subjected to far greater injustices, indignities, and inequities than our colonist forefathers could ever dream of. The riches of 17th and 18th century monarchies pale beside those of the modern oligarch class, as does the military might necessary to keep the ever-increasing economic, social, and political inequities structurally embedded.

No doubt, this July Fourth Semiquincentennial will unleash parades of strutting super-patriots donning their red dunce caps, proudly and loudly sporting their “Live Free or Die” and “Don’t Tread on Me” T-shirts, and wrapping themselves in myriad macho-man versions of the American flag. Forget baseball, America’s national pastime has always been talking tough. But talking the talk of Freedom is altogether different than walking the walk. Especially when you’re hobbled by the illusion of living free while being tread on constantly.

Verily, We the People can declare anything we like. But the time has come to stop declaring and start demanding. Two hundred and fifty years ago, our Founders made a vow to marry thought with deed to reclaim our unalienable right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness by any means necessary.

America, we love you. But we need to renew our Vows.

[Facing page, full-page illustration] Artwork by Matt Sesow: “USA.” Acrylic/mix on archival paper. 18" x 12"

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
2026 July Issue Three
Issue No. 3 — The Ardent

Welcome to issue three of The Ardent. Feel free to keep this copy. Tuck it away in your bag for later, when you’re feeling a little fidgety. Think of it as methadone for your phone addiction, a little sumthin’-sumthin’ to help scratch the itch of the sweet, mindless seduction of that soothing pale blue light.

Don’t be ashamed; you’re not alone. Look around — I guarantee there are at least three people riding the blue dragon in a catatonic gaze. We all feel the itch these days. The pangs are triggered by an idle mind, and all it takes is something as ubiquitous as a traffic light or a brief moment between getting settled and getting started on a task. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I check email on my phone while I’m sitting at my computer. But that’s what phone addiction is: it’s the constant need to see the world through a vanity filter.

The good news is that you’ve gotten to paragraph three. It may not seem like much, but it’s a huge step toward recovery. Believe it or not, it’s okay to be bored — even if it’s just for a moment. Your brain needs the rest, and this issue is filled with things to do that can only be enhanced by being still and allowing your mind to be free-thinking, out of the shackles of our screens.

In this issue, political bookshop owner Chris Giaco takes a critical look at the 250th anniversary of the country, and film critic Kenna Wong Ghaill provides her observations on the alien-centric career of Stephen Spielberg. Experience time-traveling musical Poustian moments with K L Poore, meet an up-and-coming musician 20 years in the making with Olivia Ducharme, spend a day with artist Virginia Broersma as she navigates the LA art world, or follow artist Matt Allison into Yoko Ono’s new show at The Broad. You can take a day trip out of the city with Marissa Duprée to wander Borrego Springs, or get into character on a huge television production set with Tim Montoya, a struggling actor who dreams of fame but will settle for saying just one memorable line.

Fight the urge to lean on your phone for emotional support and stay away from the light. Everything you need is right here.

[signed] Matt Miller

MASTHEAD
Editor in Chief: Matt Miller · Copyeditor: Meghan O’Dell · Layout & Graphic Design: Grant Bernstein · Cover: Rick Reese
Contributors: Matt Alison — Yes Is The Answer · Virgina Broersma — The Highs & Lows: A Day in the Life of an Artist · Olivia Ducharme — Introducing Reverend Doctor · Marissa Duprée — Day Tripper: Borrego Springs · Kenna Wong Ghaill — He Wants to Believe · Chris Giaco — On Independence and Revolution: Declaration 2.026 · Tim Montoya — Hey, It’s … That Guy! · K L Poore — A Concerto for Childhood Memories in 4 Movements
Illustration/Photography/Art: Rick Reese · Rimi Abuhussein · Makayla Haynes · Areanna Cardona · Matt Allison · Matt Sesow

CONTRIBUTOR BIOS
SOCIAL CRITICISM: Chris Giaco is a longtime Long Beach resident and activist, and is the Instigator-In-Chief of Page Against The Machine bookstore on 4th Street’s Retro Row.

FILM: Kenna Wong Ghaill is a transgender filmmaker, writer and critic from Dayton, Ohio. She currently serves as the film programmer at the historic Art Theatre of Long Beach. In her free time, she curates a personal collection of porcelain clown and chicken figurines.

ART: Matt Allison is an artist, writer, and project organizer. His creative practice is a quixotic blend of conceptual sculpture and social advocacy. He is also the founder and managing editor of No New Heroes — an experimental newsletter that combines grassroots creativity with support for mutual aid groups. (nonewheroes.com)

ESSAY: A Day in the Life of … an Artist: Virginia Broersma is a Los Angeles-based visual artist and founder of The Artist’s Office, which supports artists with the “office work” of being a professional artist. Reach her at theartistsoffice.com.

TRAVEL: Marissa Duprée is a second-generation travel writer who loves discovering the overlooked parts of California with family and friends, transforming those experiences into words. She lives in Long Beach with her family and albino cat.

ESSAY: Hey, It’s … That Guy!: Tim Montoya is an actor/writer/comedian from Los Lunas, New Mexico. He has completed training at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York and The Upright Citizens Brigade in Los Angeles. He hopes to bring laughter to the world someday, but will settle for a polite chuckle.

MUSIC: K L Poore is a SoCal native who graduated from CSULB in the days before pyramids. He has written for film, television, has a few books of prose available, and produced and directed the film Longplaying, a documentary about record stores and the passion of being a lifelong record collector. He has written scores and songs for film, as well as corporate jingles, and has two albums, Mad Sun and You Don’t Shine, available on all streamers under The Ponyshow. He collects vinyl and loves cats and his wife (better put that in there).

MUSIC PROFILE: Olivia Ducharme is a music writer based out of Long Beach, CA. She’s a graduate of Chapman University’s BFA in Creative Writing. When she isn’t writing, she is either working shows at The Observatory in Santa Ana, reading horror books, or traveling. She enjoys loud music, hot coffee, unlimited spending caps at indie book stores, and spending excessive amounts of time with her beloved cat, Reggie.

ARTWORK: John (Rick) Reese is head of the CSULB Illustration Department as well as a freelance illustrator, painter, and muralist. He has illustrated for magazines, toy companies, and skateboard companies, rock posters, and comic books. His clients include Nike SB, Bongo Comics (The Simpsons/Futurama comics), The Surfrider Foundation, No Starch Press, and many more.

Makayla Haynes is a Long Beach-based illustrator. She graduated from CSULB with a BFA in Illustration in 2025 and enjoys working in editorial illustration, murals, and comics. Makayla can be found on Instagram (@map.arts) or contacted via email at makaylahaynesart@gmail.com.

Areanna Cardona is a Mexican-American illustrator born and raised in Long Beach, California. She works mainly in digital, and her work is often humorous or dark and moody. She is inspired by music and movies, though her biggest muse is her husky, Kida.

Matt Sesow is a self-taught expressionist painter based in Washington, DC. He has sold over 17,000 original works directly to collectors in 40+ countries since beginning in 1994, making him one of the first artists to sell paintings online. After a career in software, he went full-time in 2001. Career highlights include a year-long solo exhibition at the American Visionary Art Museum (2016 – 2017) that placed 26 paintings in its permanent collection, the selection of his painting “Dive Bomb” for a United Nations postage stamp, and a 2021 retrospective at Old Dominion University, shown alongside 13 original Basquiats. New work is available at new.sesow.com.

Special thank you to the very talented Jamie Koplin, our contributing fiction illustrator, who was accidentally left out of last month’s credits. We’re very sorry, Jamie!
Jamie Koplin is a local Long Beach artist who works with watercolor and ink. You may see her plain-air painting, urban sketching, and having art dates around town. Instagram: @jamiekoplinstudio

Word Search: Kadie DiCarlo released a Word Search Zine in 2025 consisting of 50 wordfinds catered to adults. This 18+ edition is available to purchase for $10 by messaging Kadie via Instagram @kadiedicarlo, or emailing: kadiedicarlo@gmail. Her new large print word search (PG) will be released at the end of this month! Grab your highlighters!

CONTACT THE ARDENT
If you would like to advertise, support, or get involved with The Ardent, please reach out to theardentlb@gmail.com and include the following in the subject of your email: Subject: ADVERTISING for the media kit. Subject: LISTING for the calendar of events. Subject: SUBMISSION to contribute to a future issue.

Full text

Matt’s own text, from his saved post files.

Some very cool news out of Long Beach, California 🇺🇸

A few weeks back the editor of The Ardent — a free monthly newspaper out on the west coast — reached out. He'd come across my painting "USA" online and asked if he could run it in their July issue. This week it landed, and it looks GREAT.

They gave the painting the whole editorial illustration for the lead criticism piece — "On Independence and Revolution: Declaration 2.026" by Chris Giaco, who runs the Page Against The Machine bookshop in Long Beach — a hard look at where we are as a country on its 250th birthday. They even printed my full artist bio inside. Good company in there too: this issue takes on everything from Stephen Spielberg to Yoko Ono's new show at The Broad.

I've been painting every day in DC for 30+ years and had work show up in a lot of newspapers and magazines over that time — but here's the rare part. I still have this one. It's framed and hanging in the studio. Usually the painting a publication uses is long gone by the time it prints. Not this one.

I don't paint opinions — I paint the moment, the times we're living in. "USA" is that.

The framed original is available: acrylic on archival paper, 18" x 26" framed, $320. It's on new.sesow.com right now — email sesow@sesow.com if you'd like to give it a home.

Big thanks to @theardentlb for the love. If you're in Long Beach, grab a copy 🗞️