DEAR TEABAGGERS: YOU ARE A FACTION. YOU ARE NOT THE COUNTRY.

As far as I know, I'm still a citizen of the United States, even though I oppose the tea party movement. Apparently, that makes me guilty of treason as far as the movement is concerned -- apparently we in America are now, or at least ought to be, one nation under tea. Apparently the tea party movement has simply become the United States, at least according to its adherents -- or if it hasn't, it should have. It's sort of a silent coup, perhaps still in progress.

Evidence? First, this story:

Tea Party flag will not fly at Connecticut Capitol

... Tea Party Patriots in Connecticut are fuming over their on again/off again plans to fly their flag over the state capitol. They say state lawmakers' objections are treading on their rights.

This is the Gadsden flag and it has a rich history. It was among the first symbols adopted by the US Marine Corps in 1775. It has also been taken up by Tea Party Patriots across the country as their symbol. Tea Party Patriots in Connecticut got permission to fly the flag over the state capital on April 9. That permission has now been rescinded because of the political nature of the Tea Party Patriots.

Tanya Bachand, CT Tea Party Patriots: "It's not a political statement. It's a statement of honoring the military. Honoring the scrappy American spirit that... Don't Tread on Me... its more than a motto. It's a way of life for the American people. In fairness, though, it did become coupled with candidates announcing their candidacy. It did."

The patriots planned to introduce some 30 candidates for office after the flag raising....

So they wanted to go to the state capitol, which belongs to everyone in the state, and fly the Gadsden/rattlesnake/"Don't Tread on Me" flag, which in 2010 clearly stands for their political faction, and they wanted to do so while introducing candidates for elected office ... and they've been told no, and they're pissed. Even though state regulations (PDF) make clear that flags flown over the capitol must be limited to

flags of the United States of America, a state of the U.S.A. or a political subdivision, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands; any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S.A.; an Indian tribe recognized by the U.S.A.; any foreign jurisdiction with which the U.S.A. maintains diplomatic relations or its political subdivisions, to include the United Nations; flags of recognized military organizations of the U.S.A. to include the VFW, American Legion, and POW/MIA flags.

(The Gadsden flag was the flag of the Marines -- centuries ago. It isn't anymore.)

And then there's this story from Indiana:

An organizer of an upcoming tea party rally says she disagrees with a decision prohibiting military cadets at a northwestern Indiana high school from providing a color guard for the event.

Portage school officials say the Marine Corps JROTC headquarters in Washington directed the high school group not to participate before the School Board could discuss the issue as planned during a Wednesday meeting.

A Marine Corps spokesman says rules prohibit the cadets from taking part in political events.

Northwest Indiana Patriots founder Faith Jones says the group is nonpartisan....

Oh, right -- there's no problem with the Junior ROTC of the U.S. Marines joining this rally because the group is "nonpartisan." Which is why we find a listing on the group's Web site for "Wish Congress a Happy Retirement" day, accompanied by the message

... If you have some spare stamps, here's a list of Democrat Senators up for re-election in 2010....

And Faith Jones is so "nonpartisan" she has a homepage at teaparty.freedomworks.org that features a photo of her under a sign reading REPEAL OR WRITE YOUR RESUME. And I suppose when co-organizer Matt LaFleur says on the group's MeetUp page,

I joined to get involved with a group that will help spread the word about conservatism. Ultimately stop Obama and the spread of socialism.

he means that in the most nonpartisan way possible.

Listen to me, teabaggers: You are not America. You're one part of it. Get that through your heads.