I didn’t see the beginnings of the riot at the U.S. Capitol last week, but when I tuned in sometime during the 4 p.m. news, I thought I had the wrong channel and was watching a movie based on a dystopian novel.

I saw people, some in red hats, some in masks and some in uniforms milling around in the halls, lunging at each other and shouting and waving objects of various kinds. One bare-chested, fur-bedecked buffoon was strutting around trying to look important. He didn’t; he just looked foolish to me.

As events unfolded on the screen, it didn’t take me long to realize that it wasn’t a movie; it was my country in disarray and me in disbelief and despair.

This is not the first time in the past few years that I have been reminded of the dystopian novels I grew up reading, all about food shortages, A.I. watching and controlling actions, the demise of books and discounting of the written word, people trying to barricade themselves against rampant germs, and most often and most vividly, riots in the streets and the ransacking of businesses and the storming of government buildings. It all seemed so fictional not very long ago.

Following last week’s events, a lot of tears have been shed for those who were lost and injured, a lot of accusations have been hurled, a lot of facts have been verified and a lot of non-facts have been disproved, a lot of actions have been taken, and a lot of possible follow-ups have been proposed.

As I write this, we don’t know just what is ahead, except that our new president-elect will be sworn in on Jan. 20, without the current president in attendance, and the governing of this country will continue.

I just hope that these states of America will somehow be united again.

Jean McCamy is a Wake Forest artist.