Stating calmly that you do not consent to the search as it is a violation of your rights is "bravado and grandstanding"? Why would it have to be? Oh wait your entire life advice column is hinged on that contrived notion. Do you feel that it is impossible to calmly assert your rights?
In fact your entire line up of logic is bullshit, because if you acquiesce and submit to the search then it isn't illegal, so you have no recourse. For them to break the law it involves you must assert your rights. I get what you are saying. Don't be belligerent, don't incite worse scenarios, don't escalate.
That is all advice that has exactly zero to do with stating that you are well within your rights not to speak, not to consent to a search. But you wouldn't have an argument unless you took what I said and inflated it to be chest beating.