Libs go out of their way to bring it up. Why avoid it?
I say, respond proudly, with a smile!
I hear you, and I usually do respond just quietly and factually and in a few words on an important issue, like “we need jobs”; but it can get very nasty with the tolerant libs. My one remaining liberal friend destroyed a signed original work of art I had given her 45 years ago. My bridesmaid. It hurt.