I feel like talking about Stalin is like walking on eggshells... You don't want to go, "Stalin's death toll is overexaggerated, in my opinion he didn't kill enough people!!!" because that will make the average person instantly stop hearing you
What's the best way to talk about Stalin in a sensitive way that doesn't trigger a fight or flight response?
Personally I find it pointless to defend Stalin specifically unless speaking with anti-Stalin comrades.
If you're talking with liberals there are far more crucial points of contention to address before trying to rehabilitate Stalin; you have to convince them capitalism & liberalism is bad, then that Western media & academia lies about socialism, then that socialism is good, then that socialism works, and then that the USSR was socialist before you can start talking about Stalin or you're not gonna get through with them IME.