Are you not entertained?

That’s the oft-quoted line from the epic movie “Gladiator,” which won five Oscars in 2000 and I’m going to get around to watching one day. That quote came to mind as I was watching rapper Lil Jon descend the stairs of the United Center in Chicago at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday night. He was part of a star-studded roll call that turned the convention into a concert for a few minutes, as he performed a political version of his club anthem recorded with DJ Snake, “Turn Down For What.” The energy of the song fits the turbulent political times we’re in.

“It captures a moment with people — they listen to the song, and no matter what they’re doing, it pushes them to do something. If you’re in the gym and it comes on, it’s like, why are you going to stop? Work out harder!” the rapper and Georgia native told Billboard magazine in 2014.

While the Democrats danced and shouted inside, outside the United Center protesters clashed with police and several were arrested. The pro-Palestinian group Behind Enemy Lines and Samidoun organized the protest, which marched hundreds of people through downtown Chicago. The protests are a sobering reminder that after the balloons have drifted from the ceiling at the “party for democracy” in Chicago, there is work to be done. And not just by the custodial staff of the United Center.

The Democrats’ attempt to capture the energy and excitement of a music festival may have fired up the base, which is the point of these gatherings, but does little to address the real issues facing the country. The challenges we face, from economic inequality to social unrest, require serious solutions.

It’s up to us, as citizens, to demand more than just a performance.