When I was online this morning and saw 33 comments, I was surprised.

When I got a text from Tony Lewis, the ArtsEtc. content editor, saying we had 55 comments, I was shocked.

But to see 87 comments and still going strong, I’m floored.

As the ArtsEtc. editor, seeing that many comments usually means controversy is brewing. So I wondered: Did someone make a racist remark in one of the stories on my page? Did someone say something totally outlandish, like 9-11 was caused by the Teletubbies or that Obama is actually Dick Cheney?

No, nothing of the sort. One of my writers didn’t like David Archuleta’s new album. Plain and simple. And boy, was that apparently the wrong thing to do.

See, Archuleta fans – or “Archies,” as they so lovingly call themselves – came out in droves against the writer of such “slander,” Ann Rivall. Take a look to see just a few things they said about her (all written as the commenters originally left them):

“Ann Rivall, I think that’s not even your real name. Ms. Rivall, I strongly believe the reason you bashed David’s Christmas album is mainly because you are just JEALOUS, plain and simple…You Ms. Rivall must be a very sick person, must have a very sad childhood, you must have been abused as a child, so you came up with this very distorted idea of review.”

“This is the most unprofessional and biased review I have ever read.”

“YOU CAN TELL RIGHTAWAY WHEN A MUSIC JOURNO IS FAKE AND HAS NO BACKGROUND IN MUSIC – ANN RIVALL IS ONE GOOD EXAMPLE. BY THE TITLE OF HER ARTICLE ALONE YOU COULD TELL IT.”

“I hope after all these comments, the Badger Herald realizes they’ve hired a person who doesn’t have a clue about what people like. Please find a person who can listen to music and give an honest review that people can agree with.”

Now everyone, I shouldn’t have to be giving full-blown adults a lesson in what’s nice to say to other people, but this drove me off the edge. As a reviewer, it is Ann’s job to be critical of the works of others – and yes, that includes David Archuleta.

The comments I pulled were just the beginning of the revolting things that were hurled in Ann’s direction. Allow me to make a few things clear:

1) It is a reviewer’s right to like or dislike an album, as long as she is justified in doing so. And if you read Ann’s review closely, you would see how she gave the album two stars out of five, and did include a paragraph outlining a couple of the album’s outstanding selections.

2) Believe it or not, writers don’t write headlines – we as editors do. So knocking the writers for that crime is a waste of your time.

3) Yes, our reviewers do actually listen to the albums when reviewing them. (Shocker!) Many do so multiple times.

4) Reviews are not the law, it’s perfectly acceptable to disagree. However, the trick is in doing so politely.

5) Yes, her name really is Ann Rivall.

After sifting though the disgusting comments on the story, I was shocked. To think that so many of you would sing the praises of Archuleta and still find it within yourselves to say such terrible things makes me want to say the one thing every parent says to their child at least once in their life:

“You should be ashamed of yourselves.”

Furthermore, I don’t think I’d be too far off in thinking that David Archuleta himself would not be pleased either. A real fan wouldn’t do such things.

So the bottom-line? Everyone, before you post, think of one small thing: What would David Archuleta do?

Or, if you still disagree with me, bring it on, fuckers.