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This really drives home the point that it is hard to change peoples opinions once a rumor has been started. I think that is part of the reason that high school can be a difficult time. There are so many gossipy people and lots of rumors flying around.
Yes, this really doesn't surprise me at all. Once people have made their minds up, especially about something as heated as this debate was, it's nigh on impossible to change their mind.
"The false rumor that researchers used in the study was that Feisal Abdul Rauf, the Imam backing the proposed Islamic cultural center and mosque, is a terrorist sympathizer who has refused to condemn Islamic attacks on civilians.
There is no evidence that this statement is true, ..."
A problem is that they choose something that is factually disprovable, yet they do not use facts to refute. If Rauf had issued a condemnation, and it was provided, it would refute the belief. In that sense, they do not provide factual refutation, just opinion.
The issue is less what the participants believe about Rauf, as in what they believe constitutes a terrorist sympatheser. In this case, an Imam who could condemn terrorism, but does not is considered one.
I hope the other three were better chosen, where they actually show evidence against the belief, instead of just saying their is no evidence supporting it.
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