I agree with many things stated in posts above...
I never heard of, read, or watched Zumbo before his ill-thought rant against black rifles. The outrage that followed his post is when I first even heard of the man. I agree that the lack of an income and the tarnished reputation can be quite the motivator for his current opinions. However, should he make it back to the gun rags, blogs, or "outdoor" shows -- I doubt I'd be part of his audience.
One positive trend I see -- following his "terrorist rifle" blunder -- has been an increased interest in the use of the AR platform for hunting. I've owned a couple of ARs for years -- but did not use them for hunting...that is, until hearing of Zumbo's comments and the backlash. I mean, all the traits I could want were in those light-weight rifles -- why not use it for hunting?
So, within a couple of weeks of Zumbo's blog post -- I took the trusty little 5.56mm AR on a pig hunt. From using the carbine in a few Tactical courses, I knew I could hit the target (4-6" groups from prone with milsurp ammo and an EoTech at 200 yards on any given day) -- but I was not convinced the 5.56mm cartridge would do the job. One spine shot -- and one 150lb sow later -- that uncertainty was diffused, as she dropped in her tracks.
This only increased my appetite for "hunting" AR platforms. Hence, the latest two additions to my collection:
An AR-10 and a .50 Beowulf (seen here in various stages of completion)

You gotta love the business end of the Beowulf!

Think of it as shooting a 500 S&W Magnum out of an AR platform, as the ballistics are essentially the same...

In summary, what the 1994 Crime Bill did for the development and introduction of small concealable handguns (most of the pocket guns and compact carry pieces came AFTER the ban) -- Zumbo's ill-fated blog comment might do for the black rifle popularity in the hunting sports. Even Hornady is jumping on the train -- with the new collaboration with Bushmaster and the .450 Bushmaster cartridge.