Look at the way he phrased it. He said that many people think it's patriotic.
What that means is that you can't agree with him without conceding that it's optional.
So he's offering a poisoned pill to the democrats. If they go along with what he says, they'll be giving up their hope of forcing masks on everyone.
It's a bit demoralizing for many anons, but winning is really what's important. Anons are smart. They'll get it when they see it playing out.