Bringing in more than a thousand comments, the blotter item, "California Man Revealed as al Qaeda Leader," grabbed the attention and -- aroused the fury -- of many of our readers.  Some readers saw the report on Gadahn in light of the situation in Iraq and our Constitution.

Kraig For Truth wrote, "Gadahn is partially correct.  The particular individual U.S. soldiers who did torture, rape, and murder innocent iraqis....ARE JUST AS  BAD AS GADAHN HIMSELF... The real evil is people on both sides, who justify evil."

"He has the right to become a member of a terrorist organization.  Just so long as he remembers that this nation has the right to capture him, try him for treason and hang him," said Glenn.

"I'm not saying what this kid did is right, because it's not.  But most of you people posting on this site should take a few moments to read the constitution of our country before opening your mouths.  Our founding fathers established a constitution for this country based on the principles of liberty and freedom.  One of those freedoms is the freedom of speech, the freedom to speak your mind without fear of oppression or persecution. These days, that freedom seems no longer to exist.  If you disagree with nitwits like Toby Keith and Ann Coulter, or you question the motives of a Government which acts without accountability, you're called a traitor, or labeled 'unAmerican,'" wrote Scott.

Others questioned ABC News' reporting Gadahn to be a "former Orange County, Calif. teenage rock music fan." 

"He actually grew up on a goat farm in Riverside County.  He only lived in Santa Ana for three years... Don't blame the OC for a kid who grew up in the 909.  Most of us OCer's are patriotic, Christian Americans ...we are the home of the Nixon Library," wrote Mallory.

While Gadahn was the son of parents who grew up during the psychedelic 1960s and lived with them on a goat farm in Riverside County, he did move to Orange County as a teenager to live with his grandparents.  And it was at the local mosque in Orange County, the Islamic Society of Orange County, that he converted to Islam and that he went from convert to radical Islamist.

Finally still other readers' comments illustrated the polarity of the U.S. political landscape as they classified Gadahn as part of the liberal viewpoint.

"Frankly, the things he has saying are not all that different from the comments of elected Democrats made on the floor of the House and Senate.  Robert C. Byrd [D-WV] made some outrageous comments which have been turned into a Arabic-subtitled propaganda film popular with terrorist-friendly organizations such as Al Jazeera, " wrote in Jack Turner.

"He sounds JUST like Cindy Sheehan, John Kerry and John Murtha.  He's quite sane by Democrat standards," said Randy.