Tea party activists showing up armed to political rallies, though, threatening others because it's their 'constitutional right'. Yeah, they are extreme.
I think this is a serious and common misunderstanding of the intentions of those who chose to be armed in public. In my experience with far-right types the gun isn't meant as a threat to anyone. It's more of a statement that they will not submit and be victims if their lives are threatened. The only reason to see that as a threat is if you plan on pulling a gun on them. Others are simply following their belief that the only way to keep our rights is to exercise them.
Those who can, do; those who can't, write. Those who can't write work for the Bell Labs Record.