I admit it, I am a fan of The Walking Dead. The degeneration of society in a zombie apocalypse is fascinating, and the brutal end to anyone — no matter how beloved a character — keeps me coming back for more.

Sunday night was the season premiere of the popular AMC show. Two strong characters were killed off, mostly to prove a point that people needed to submit to the “bad guy” being the one in charge.

As I pondered that episode, and the show overall, I started to think about how far gone society is there, that herds of flesh-eating zombies are not the scariest part anymore.

And then I started to ponder the similarity to this presidential election.

The herd mentality of supporters of both candidates are pretty tough to stomach.

Personally, I have not talked to anyone who is undecided — unless the indecision is that they don’t support either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. So the Facebook posts and sign stealing and bullying of people who support the other candidate are really doing nothing — except making the doer out to be a jackass.

Often, supporters of both candidates gang up on others online — where one doesn’t have to look another person in the eye when calling them stupid, ignorant sheep. Where is the civility?

Some of the scariest parts of this debate over which candidate should win have me scared for the future which our children will inherit. One example: A poll said if the election took place without women voting, Trump would win. And a movement began where people suggested repealing the 19th Amendment, stripping the right to vote from women.

Really? Then where would our future be?

Let’s go back to The Walking Dead for a moment. My family and I have often hypothetically discussed who from the show we would want on our “team” if the zombie apocalypse were to happen.

The most common answers? Characters Carol, Michonne and Maggie — the women who have constantly been emerging as the strongest people. Granted, it is just a show, but on one episode, Carol sets the timer for her brownies before heading outside to kill about a half dozen interlopers threatening her community.

Girl power!

How many Trump supporters will stop reading right here, assuming because I am in favor of strong women, I am against Trump?

That is not the case.

Does that mean I support Hillary? Nope. So I’m a Trump fan? No to that as well.

I can’t remember a time when Americans were so polarized, and so vicious toward people who felt differently.

When did we as a society become Negan — the bad guy with the barbed wire-wrapped baseball bat in The Walking Dead?

“You don’t agree with me. That makes you my enemy.”

No, actually, that makes this America, where people are allowed to have differing opinions.

Let’s try to get back to that.

Being at loggerheads didn’t work for Negan and Rick in The Walking Dead. Rick had to knuckle under.

Might shouldn’t make right. Common sense should. Vote how you like, for after all this is America. But keep your discourse civil.

We aren’t zombies yet.

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(Schellhammer is the associate editor at The Bradford Era)