Montgomery is like any other city. There are places where you are relatively safe, and there are places where you don't go unless you are buying drugs or have a death wish. And there are places that are a little less safe, yet can be frequented as long as one is careful and observant.
I have an African American former co-worker who tells me that Montgomery is actually much better than many Southern cities - and that is scary. He has three sons from a former marriage living in South Carolina and the peer pressure there to join a gang is incredible.
That being said, in the past nine months I have procured a modest arsenal and an adequate supply of ammunition - all of which stays locked in a gun safe except for the fun days I have at the gun club every other month or so. I do that to stay familiar with their operation and blow worthless $#it like empty plastic bottles to smithereens. But if things with the country begin to go badly and the police lose control, I intend to use those tools to defend myself and my family.