I Need Advice...

 Friendship vs Politics

I have a problem that you may have faced. An old friend that I have known for over 30 years. Someone I have coffee with several times a month. History; we started playing racket ball at least once a week and continued for nearly a decade. Age and the fact he moved about 20 miles further north, ended the sports time. Even after the move we would still meet and have coffee occasionally. Just guy, family talk, life in general stuff - nothing heavy. Cordial and friendly stuff. Seldom did we delve into anything heavy or politics, he being a republican and now an adamant Trump supporter. 

His disappointment and contempt was obvious when Obama was elected. 

I have always known that there was a bias in much of his thinking with characteristic comments about woke and immigrants / blacks. He being part of a generation that fostered such. Also a love for guns; having many.

Very recently I ask, “knowing what you see/know now, would you vote for Trump again? A troubling “yes” was stated emphatically. I said that I though Trump was a madman with only self-interest. 

I was willing to let the friendship go quietly at this point. Unusually, three weeks went by with no contact for coffee. Just this past week he made contact and it was my intention to see if his thinking had changed with recent events; corruption, war, gas, inflation. 

Not long into today’s guy/BS stuff, he proceeded to describe a person (guy) at his market, long hair, some makeup, female style glasses and jewelry; obviously what we know as presenting female/transgender. Much denigration proceeded and a statement that he would change checkout lines to avoid this person.  

Stunned, I remained silent, quite taken back wondering how he could avoid my obvious changes to an androgynous look over the years. Was he actually calling me out and using someone else to make his point? 

My plan before was to just let the friendship drop. The easy option. How I see the need to express my indignation. How can I accept this without saying something? No longer can I call someone a friend that has such deep-seated bias. Change his mind; not going to happen. However, I can no longer sit in silence with someone with this level of intolerance and not speak. A hard decision!

Now the attitude is not political, but personal. I know, why did wait so long... 

Have you faced a similar situation?  What did you do?