{"id":256682,"date":"2026-09-21T19:39:51","date_gmt":"2026-09-22T00:39:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=256682"},"modified":"2026-09-21T19:46:50","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T00:46:50","slug":"malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\/","title":{"rendered":"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-estimated-reading-time yoast-reading-time__wrapper\"><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__icon\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-icon=\"clock\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" style=\"display:inline-block;vertical-align:-0.1em\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 8v4l3 3m6-3a9 9 0 11-18 0 9 9 0 0118 0z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__spacer\" style=\"display:inline-block;width:1em\"><\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__descriptive-text\">Estimated reading time: <\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__reading-time\">10<\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__time-unit\"> minutes<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 id=\"h-\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Malcolm Gladwell just delivered the rare gun interview that refuses to stay inside one political lane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During a September 18 appearance on <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/culture\/the-new-yorker-interview\/malcolm-gladwell-on-the-american-way-of-killing\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\" title=\"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019\">The New Yorker Radio Hour<\/a><\/em>, Gladwell discussed guns, policing and the Second Amendment with host David Remnick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The conversation previews Gladwell\u2019s new book, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/books\/2026\/sep\/21\/the-american-way-of-killing-by-malcolm-gladwell-review-wide-of-the-mark\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\" title=\"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019\">The American Way of Killing: The Invention of an Epidemic<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some of his conclusions will sound surprisingly familiar to gun owners. Others will start an argument before the paragraph ends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gladwell criticizes assault-weapons bans, rejects \u201cdefund the police\u201d and praises targeted anti-violence programs that do not rely on confiscating guns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then he argues that slavery played a central role in the creation of the Second Amendment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is something here to irritate almost everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Malcolm Gladwell on \u201cThe American Way of Killing\u201d | The New Yorker Radio Hour\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zHg91DVRNj8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><h2>Table of contents<\/h2><ul><li><a href=\"#h-america-is-measuring-the-wrong-thing\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\" title=\"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019\" data-level=\"2\">America Is Measuring the Wrong Thing<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-his-second-amendment-argument-will-draw-fire\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\" title=\"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019\" data-level=\"2\">His Second Amendment Argument Will Draw Fire<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-assault-weapons-bans-are-a-waste-of-time\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\" title=\"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019\" data-level=\"2\">Assault-Weapons Bans Are a \u2018Waste of Time\u2019<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-forget-defund-gladwell-wants-to-refund-police\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\" title=\"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019\" data-level=\"2\">Forget \u2018Defund.\u2019 Gladwell Wants to \u2018Refund\u2019 Police<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-stopping-retaliation-instead-of-arguing-about-guns\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\" title=\"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019\" data-level=\"2\">Stopping Retaliation Instead of Arguing About Guns<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-an-interview-with-no-comfortable-political-home\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\" title=\"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019\" data-level=\"2\">An Interview With No Comfortable Political Home<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-america-is-measuring-the-wrong-thing\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">America Is Measuring the Wrong Thing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gladwell begins by calling America\u2019s gun debate \u201cdishonest.\u201d  His first complaint involves the nation\u2019s focus on homicide totals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether a shooting becomes a homicide depends partly on the wound. It also depends on trauma care, response time and the victim\u2019s distance from a capable hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In other words, two identical shootings can produce different statistical outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gladwell argues that improved emergency medicine has hidden the true level of American violence. More shooting victims survive today, but the underlying violence remains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He claims America might record roughly 75,000 homicides annually if victims still received 1960-era medical care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His preferred measurement is simpler: How often are people shooting one another?  That number, he argues, would better capture the scale of the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/New_Chart_CPRC.jpg\" alt=\"Combined infographic showing FBI homicide data by age, race, and race-to-population ratios, including 2024 Expanded Homicide Data and OJJDP statistics.\" class=\"wp-image-254413\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/New_Chart_CPRC.jpg 900w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/New_Chart_CPRC-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/New_Chart_CPRC-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/New_Chart_CPRC-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Three FBI homicide data charts comparing offenders by age, race, and race-to-population ratios using 2024 FBI CIUS Expanded Homicide Data and OJJDP population statistics.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-his-second-amendment-argument-will-draw-fire\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">His Second Amendment Argument Will Draw Fire<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gladwell\u2019s most controversial claim concerns the Second Amendment\u2019s origins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He argues that its militia language cannot be separated from slavery. He credits legal scholar <a href=\"https:\/\/firearmslaw.duke.edu\/2023\/06\/slavery-militias-and-methodologies-thoughts-on-carl-boguss-madisons-militia\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\" title=\"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019\">Carl Bogus<\/a> (his las name says it all), who studied Virginia\u2019s ratification debates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under this theory, Southern slaveholders feared federal control over state militias. Those militias helped suppress uprisings and maintain the slave system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gladwell therefore dismisses the idea that the amendment primarily grew from frontier life or the Revolutionary War.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That interpretation will face immediate resistance from much of the 2A community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bogus\u2019 slavery thesis is influential, but it is not undisputed history. Other scholars argue that militias served much broader purposes. Those included national defense, resistance to tyranny and protection against standing armies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Supreme <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/saf-sues-connecticut-mag-ban\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\" title=\"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"7702\">Court has also recognized that the Second Amendment<\/a> protects an individual right. That right does not depend on active militia service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gladwell may be offering one historical interpretation. He is certainly not describing a settled national consensus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-assault-weapons-bans-are-a-waste-of-time\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Assault-Weapons Bans Are a \u2018Waste of Time\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gladwell becomes much more agreeable to <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/sig-sauer-m400-forge-review\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\" title=\"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"7701\">gun owners when the conversation turns to AR-15<\/a> bans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He calls assault-weapons bans a \u201cstupid waste of time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His argument focuses on how lawmakers define the targeted firearms. Many bans regulate grips, stocks, barrel attachments and other external features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remove the prohibited features, and a functionally similar semiautomatic rifle may remain legal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That is not a new criticism within the firearms community. Gun owners have made the same argument for decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 1994 federal ban did not eliminate every AR-15. It restricted certain named models and combinations of features. Existing firearms were also grandfathered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gladwell further argues that lawmakers fixate on rifles because they look threatening. Meanwhile, handguns appear in far more shootings and are easier to conceal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That does not make Gladwell a gun-rights convert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He still believes America has too many firearms. He simply views the political obsession with AR-style rifles as a distracting sideshow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many gun owners will agree with his criticism of the policy while rejecting his broader conclusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-forget-defund-gladwell-wants-to-refund-police\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Forget \u2018Defund.\u2019 Gladwell Wants to \u2018Refund\u2019 Police<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gladwell\u2019s sharpest break with progressive politics comes when Remnick mentions \u201cdefund the police.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gladwell says the slogan nearly makes him \u201cblow a gasket.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His argument is that America does not have too many <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/graphic-footage-officer-fatally-shoots-man-pretending-to-draw-weapon\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\" title=\"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"7704\">police officers<\/a>. It has too few officers and too many people in prison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gladwell contrasts Los Angeles with Berlin. He says Los Angeles has roughly 8,500 officers, while similarly sized Berlin has approximately 18,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">European governments spend more of their public-safety budgets on policing, he argues. America spends more on lengthy incarceration after crimes occur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gladwell believes understaffed departments become more aggressive because officers are overwhelmed and outnumbered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More officers could improve response times. They could also spend more time learning neighborhoods, building relationships and defusing disputes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His proposed slogan is simple: \u201cRefund the police.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-stopping-retaliation-instead-of-arguing-about-guns\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stopping Retaliation Instead of Arguing About Guns<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gladwell points to Baltimore as an example of a different strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city identifies the small group of people most likely to shoot someone or become a shooting victim. Police, pastors and community leaders then intervene after violent incidents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They speak with friends and relatives before retaliation begins. They may relocate endangered families, arrange counseling or connect someone with other assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The immediate goal is not confiscating every gun. It is stopping the next shooting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gladwell argues that officials cannot wait decades for sweeping national gun legislation while people continue dying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He also cites violence-prevention expert David Kennedy, who argues that many young people <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/new-carry-contour-emp-springfields-ccw-9mm-1911-gets-even-better-full-review\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\" title=\"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"7703\">carry guns<\/a> because they are scared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That observation presents another interesting conflict for the 2A audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gun owners may agree that people arm themselves when police cannot protect them. Gladwell sees stronger policing as the way to reduce that fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2A advocates will answer that government protection can never replace an individual right to self-defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-an-interview-with-no-comfortable-political-home\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">An Interview With No Comfortable Political Home<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gladwell does not deliver a standard gun-control pitch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He attacks AR bans. He mocks the fantasy of quickly removing America\u2019s existing guns. He argues for more police and targeted intervention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those positions may earn him some unexpected agreement from the right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then he describes the <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/people-book-celebrates-gun-owners-across-america\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\" title=\"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"7700\">Second Amendment through slavery and says fewer guns<\/a> would still be desirable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That will lose much of the same audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Perhaps that tension makes the interview worth watching. Gladwell is not offering a platform designed to satisfy either side. He is breaking the gun debate into pieces and asking whether America has been arguing about the wrong things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 2A community will undoubtedly challenge several of his conclusions.  It may also find itself agreeing with more of them than expected.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you have a chance, watch it and let me know what you think.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong><em>*** <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\" title=\"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Buy and Sell on GunsAmerica!<\/a> ***<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gladwell begins by calling America\u2019s gun debate \u201cdishonest.\u201d  His first complaint involves the nation\u2019s focus on homicide totals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":158,"featured_media":256684,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_specdata_upc":"","_specdata_placement":"manual","footnotes":""},"categories":[4024],"tags":[132,607,122],"featured":[],"hunt365":[],"class_list":["post-256682","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news","tag-buzz","tag-news","tag-r2kba"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.4 (Yoast SEO v28.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Malcolm Gladwell calls AR bans a waste of time, rejects defunding police and offers a controversial take on Second Amendment history.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Gladwell begins by calling America\u2019s gun debate \u201cdishonest.\u201d His first complaint involves the nation\u2019s focus on homicide totals.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gun Reviews and News | GunsAmerica.com\/Digest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gunsamerica\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gunsamerica\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-09-22T00:39:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-22T00:46:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gladwell.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Larry Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@https:\/\/twitter.com\/GunsAmerica\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@gunsamerica\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Larry Z\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Larry Z\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e6de4369965cb544a9ebd9533bb9c06b\"},\"headline\":\"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-22T00:39:51+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-22T00:46:50+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1126,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/Gladwell.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Buzz\",\"News\",\"R2KBA\"],\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\\\/#respond\"]}],\"accessibilityFeature\":[\"tableOfContents\"]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\\\/\",\"name\":\"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/Gladwell.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-22T00:39:51+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-22T00:46:50+00:00\",\"description\":\"Malcolm Gladwell calls AR bans a waste of time, rejects defunding police and offers a controversial take on Second Amendment history.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/Gladwell.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/Gladwell.png\",\"width\":900,\"height\":600,\"caption\":\"Gladwell discusses AR bans, policing and Second Amendment history with David Remnick. (Photo: The New Yorker Radio Hour)\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/\",\"name\":\"Gun Reviews and News | GunsAmerica.com\\\/Digest\",\"description\":\"Gun Reviews, Industry News, and Product Reviews for Rifles, Pistols, Revolvers, Shotguns, Optics, and Ammunition. Looking to purchase a firearm online? Look no further than GunsAmerica.com, America&#039;s premier destination for buying and selling firearms.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"GunsAmerica\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/image-3.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/image-3.png\",\"width\":286,\"height\":156,\"caption\":\"GunsAmerica\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/gunsamerica\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/gunsamerica\",\"https:\\\/\\\/instagram.com\\\/gunsamerica_official\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/GunsAmerica\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e6de4369965cb544a9ebd9533bb9c06b\",\"name\":\"Larry Z\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/5a69271fff458c0181bcf97d84275180a0fb536786a6dd417d0618e9688be035?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/5a69271fff458c0181bcf97d84275180a0fb536786a6dd417d0618e9688be035?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/5a69271fff458c0181bcf97d84275180a0fb536786a6dd417d0618e9688be035?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Larry Z\"},\"description\":\"is a seasoned outdoorsman, lifelong hunter, and the kind of guy who'd rather track whitetails than scroll social media. As an editor for GunsAmerica, he\u2019s got a sharp eye for spotting both solid gear and bad gun laws. Whether he's deep in the woods or deep in editorial deadlines, Larry brings a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach to firearms, hunting, and the great American tradition of self-reliance. If there's a hot debate on gun rights or the latest in hunting tech, you can bet Larry\u2019s got an opinion\u2014and it's probably backed up with both facts and field experience. Experience: \u2013 Licensed Bowhunter, Hunter, and Trapper \u2013 Experienced in ethical hunting and wildlife conservation.\u2013 Concealed Carry Permit Holder (NYS &amp; AZ) \u2013 Trained and licensed to carry in multiple states.\u2013 2A Journalist \u2013 Covering firearms legislation, Second Amendment issues, and gun rights for over a decade.\u2013 Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) \u2013 Certified to provide emergency medical care in the field.\u2013 Field-Tested Gear Reviewer \u2013 Hands-on experience with firearms, optics, and hunting tech.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/hunt365.gunsamerica.com\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/gunsamerica\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/gunsamerica_official\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/https:\\\/\\\/twitter.com\\\/GunsAmerica\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/GunsAmerica\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/author\\\/larry-z\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019","description":"Malcolm Gladwell calls AR bans a waste of time, rejects defunding police and offers a controversial take on Second Amendment history.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019","og_description":"Gladwell begins by calling America\u2019s gun debate \u201cdishonest.\u201d His first complaint involves the nation\u2019s focus on homicide totals.","og_url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\/","og_site_name":"Gun Reviews and News | GunsAmerica.com\/Digest","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gunsamerica","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gunsamerica","article_published_time":"2026-09-22T00:39:51+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-09-22T00:46:50+00:00","og_image":[{"width":900,"height":600,"url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gladwell.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Larry Z","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@https:\/\/twitter.com\/GunsAmerica","twitter_site":"@gunsamerica","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Larry Z","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\/"},"author":{"name":"Larry Z","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#\/schema\/person\/e6de4369965cb544a9ebd9533bb9c06b"},"headline":"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019","datePublished":"2026-09-22T00:39:51+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-22T00:46:50+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\/"},"wordCount":1126,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gladwell.png","keywords":["Buzz","News","R2KBA"],"articleSection":["News"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\/#respond"]}],"accessibilityFeature":["tableOfContents"]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\/","url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\/","name":"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gladwell.png","datePublished":"2026-09-22T00:39:51+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-22T00:46:50+00:00","description":"Malcolm Gladwell calls AR bans a waste of time, rejects defunding police and offers a controversial take on Second Amendment history.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gladwell.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gladwell.png","width":900,"height":600,"caption":"Gladwell discusses AR bans, policing and Second Amendment history with David Remnick. (Photo: The New Yorker Radio Hour)"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/malcolm-gladwell-ar-bans-refund-police\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Gladwell: AR Bans Waste Time, America Should \u2018Refund the Police\u2019"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#website","url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/","name":"Gun Reviews and News | GunsAmerica.com\/Digest","description":"Gun Reviews, Industry News, and Product Reviews for Rifles, Pistols, Revolvers, Shotguns, Optics, and Ammunition. Looking to purchase a firearm online? Look no further than GunsAmerica.com, America&#039;s premier destination for buying and selling firearms.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#organization","name":"GunsAmerica","url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-3.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-3.png","width":286,"height":156,"caption":"GunsAmerica"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gunsamerica","https:\/\/x.com\/gunsamerica","https:\/\/instagram.com\/gunsamerica_official\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/GunsAmerica"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#\/schema\/person\/e6de4369965cb544a9ebd9533bb9c06b","name":"Larry Z","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5a69271fff458c0181bcf97d84275180a0fb536786a6dd417d0618e9688be035?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5a69271fff458c0181bcf97d84275180a0fb536786a6dd417d0618e9688be035?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5a69271fff458c0181bcf97d84275180a0fb536786a6dd417d0618e9688be035?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Larry Z"},"description":"is a seasoned outdoorsman, lifelong hunter, and the kind of guy who'd rather track whitetails than scroll social media. As an editor for GunsAmerica, he\u2019s got a sharp eye for spotting both solid gear and bad gun laws. Whether he's deep in the woods or deep in editorial deadlines, Larry brings a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach to firearms, hunting, and the great American tradition of self-reliance. If there's a hot debate on gun rights or the latest in hunting tech, you can bet Larry\u2019s got an opinion\u2014and it's probably backed up with both facts and field experience. Experience: \u2013 Licensed Bowhunter, Hunter, and Trapper \u2013 Experienced in ethical hunting and wildlife conservation.\u2013 Concealed Carry Permit Holder (NYS &amp; AZ) \u2013 Trained and licensed to carry in multiple states.\u2013 2A Journalist \u2013 Covering firearms legislation, Second Amendment issues, and gun rights for over a decade.\u2013 Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) \u2013 Certified to provide emergency medical care in the field.\u2013 Field-Tested Gear Reviewer \u2013 Hands-on experience with firearms, optics, and hunting tech.","sameAs":["https:\/\/hunt365.gunsamerica.com","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gunsamerica","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/gunsamerica_official\/","https:\/\/x.com\/https:\/\/twitter.com\/GunsAmerica","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/GunsAmerica"],"url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/author\/larry-z\/"}]}},"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Gladwell-150x100.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/256682","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/158"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=256682"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/256682\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":256687,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/256682\/revisions\/256687"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/256684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=256682"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=256682"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=256682"},{"taxonomy":"featured","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/featured?post=256682"},{"taxonomy":"hunt365","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hunt365?post=256682"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}