VIDEO: Veteran Tells County to ‘Take The Masks Off,’ Says ‘It’s Not Going To Be Peaceful Much Longer’

National File has transcribed Zapata’s full speech below:

I’m telling you guys I’m pretty appalled about what’s going on. At first we sat like concerned citizens, and we all wanted to figure out how to best navigate through this little COVID thing, you know. And uh, as we realized that it’s not quite as dangerous as we thought it would be, you know, I was absolutely appalled by the cowardice.

As you’re sitting there with your masks on, I don’t blame you for wearing masks, because I’d be hiding my face too if I were you for what you’re doing. It’s absolutely horrendous what you’re doing to these people. I’m a business owner, and I’m telling you, our families are starving. You guys can sit here with your jobs, you can sit here, you’re going to get paid, you can fall asleep in your chair like that gentleman’s doing behind his mask right there, okay? And I’m telling you right now that right now we’re being peaceful, and you’d better be happy that we’re good citizens, that we’re peaceful citizens.

But it’s not going to be peaceful much longer. This isn’t a threat, I’m not a criminal, I’ve never been a criminal, but I’m telling you that good citizens are going to turn into real concerned and revolutionary citizens real soon.

And nobody else is going to say that, I’m probably the only person that has the balls to say what I’m saying right now.

And we’re building, we’re organizing, and we’ll work with law enforcement or without law enforcement. But you won’t stop us when the time comes because our families are starving. And if you don’t hear the seriousness in my voice, I hope you open your ears and you absolutely listen to what I’m saying, because this is a warning for what’s coming. It’s not going to be peaceful much longer. It’s not going to be ra-ra, it’s not going to be speeches, it’s not going to be standing outside saying the Pledge of Allegiance, it’s not going to be waving flags, it’s going to be real.

When you’ve seen the things that I’ve seen, I went to war for this country. I’ve seen the ugliest, dirtiest part of humanity. I’ve been in combat, and I never wanted to go back again, but I’m telling you what, I will to save this country. If it has to be against our own citizens, it will happen, and there’s a million people like me, and you won’t stop us.

Open the county, let our citizens do what they need to do, let owners of businesses do what they need to do to feed their families.

Take the masks off, quit masking and muzzling your children. The psychological damage you’re doing to them is horrible. I’ve had six friends kill themselves since it’s happened, veterans who lost their jobs. How do you feel about being complicit in perpetuating that? The greatest hoax ever perpetuated against the American people? And you’re part of it by wearing masks. In Shasta County.

We’re supposed to be red country up here. Not blue country, we’re red country up here. You guys know that. You claim to be conservatives, maybe you’re not, maybe you’re liberals, I don’t know. But by God, we’re Americans, and remember that. Take your mask off, stop muzzling yourself. Join us, fight with us, against what’s happening in Sacramento. It’s a travesty. Thanks.

Zapata’s speech can be watched on YouTube: