One time, while driving in TX with a Clinton-Gore sticker on my car, I was run off the road by middle aged man in a SUV who yelled “f*ck Clinton” out his window. He had Phil Gramm, Bush-Quayle, and NRA sticker on his car. Hopefully, you won’t get such treatment from someone with a Kerry-Edwards sticker on their car.

I think you should talk to that supervisor and tell her how uncomfortable she made you — maybe she isn’t aware. You probably also have recourse through your Human Resources person if you feel discriminated against because of your politics.

I actually really look forward to these type of discussions, no matter where they occur, because:

1) I’m usually a lot more informed about politics and current events than everyone else;

2) I’m neither Republican nor Democrat so I’m not put on the defensive if everyone else leans one way;

3) I can argue my points pretty well and not get steamed up if someone heartily disagrees with me.

4) I treat discussions as that–a discussion–and not some kind of crusade that must be won. Sometimes you just gotta say, “Although I understand your points, I just don’t see it that way.”

I think you see more Dems trying to bait people into discussions because they have such an axe to grind. I remember during “Monica-gate” a lot of Republicans had a keen interest in expressing their opinions.

The best thing you can probably do when confronted with the situation you described is show open-mindedness and willingness to consider both sides. Don’t abandon your beliefs; instead, say “That’s an interesting point I’ll have to consider.”