There's assaults and muggins in rural and suburban America, too, although the perception (and probably the reality) in urban areas is that the attackers are generally black or latino. Of course, urban centers are generally black and latino in general, so odds are that both the attacker(s) and the bystanders will be black or latino.
Probably the perception you're looking for is that of Suburban White Person from Mostly White Suburbia (i.e., me 
)who commuted to the city, or goes their for business or recreation or for medical purposes and gets targeted by the local muggers because a) SWP is not local and b) SWP looks affluent. 
The side-effect of learning to carry a gun and use it in self-defense is that you retain more situational awareness in general (the weight of the gun on your hip is a constant reminder of your potential), so you would probably either not be in the situation in the first place, or be aware and ready in advance. Perhaps able to avoid being alone, moving into a store, calling the cops, grabbing a taxi or bus, etc.
And let's not forget that a lot of criminals are young and stupid. This can give you an edge in being able to dis-arm them or arm yourself. And, of course, a fair amount of crime occurs where you aren't the target, but rather on the periphery, such as a convenience-store robbery.
As to your confrontations in the past, well, without more information I can't comment, really. There's a difference between a verbal fight (perhaps political?) with a stranger, and somebody tailing you to your car in order to carjack you.
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