I grew up in a particular Alabama country that is densely rural. Today's population around 92,870 (2020 numbers). Homes, trailers, apartments, condos? Around 44,720 (Census numbers).
If you asked to figure a number on the homes/farms that have a minimum of one weapon (out of the 44,720)? I'd take a guess that it's near 95-percent.
No one is going to really volunteer this information, and most would be suspicious if NY Times/WaPo reporter showed up and asked them the direct question.
I'd also take a fairly educated guess that roughly half the homes have a minimum of one rifle, one shotgun, and one pistol.
Trying to say it's way more than the 1960s? No, there was some point where an awful lot of hunters existed in the county, and then in the 1970s to 1990s....those folks 'died-out'.
People consumed to own weapons? Well....I would take another educated guess here that more than 50-percent of folks who work.....have some type of pistol in their car, in their purse, or carry on their person each morning.
Guards at churches? In the past decade, a fair number of churches have to having at least one guy....sometimes two.....who walk the 'perimeter' of the church parking lot and the building. These are guys who'd prefer to pray to Jesus for your good health, but probably would put you down like a rabid-dog if you were to identify yourself as a threat. Nothing personal, you understand.
This crossing over to the M-4/AR-15/SABs shotgun? Some folks would suggest that things were progressing in the 1980s, and by 2000....society was looking at acceptance of the evolution.
Homes with some type of semi-automatic rifle? Probably over 50-percent are in that range, and 10-percent might have two semi-automatic weapons.
Home invasions, and meth-heads evolving people into putting down an undesirable generation?
At some point about seven years ago....local guy had owned a boat, and sold it. Deal resulted in roughly $3k of cash. Guy had lunch one day and noted his luck. Gal handling the order told some relative who was a meth-head. Meth-head came to the house....killed the guy with a rock, and walked away with the money. Cops did figure things out.....arrested the meth-head.
One could say ever since that point....folks have a blunt view of reality. Could be some idiot in the grocery parking lot. Could be some guy in local McDonalds. Could be some guy living out of a cousin's garage. Any of them could present a challenge to you living.
So, yeah, there's a different attitude now. In 1970.....probably fewer than 300 folks in the county kept a pistol around the bedroom. In 2022, there's probably 10,000 folks who keep a pistol in the bedroom.
The sad thing here, if you ponder upon it....there's probably a hundred meth-heads or home invasion folks in the county.....who are potentially always on their final 24 hours on Earth. They don't think much about it or the consequences of what'll happen at 1 AM to end their life.
All of this a sign of society breaking down? Maybe if the police did something over the meth-heads or the home invasion business was deemed a crime requiring you to spend 20 years in prison....it'd be different. So that enthusiasm for the weapon....is cruising along and won't be lessening any time soon.
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