You're probably right; usually it is only direct experience that changes people with crazy opinions or an abusive mindset. There's delightful case of a conservative politician in Australia (Jim Cameron) who used to argue quite strongly against organ transplants... Until he needed one himself!

My first memories of the SCM was a bearded liberal hippy named Joshua wandering around handing out oranges on campus. He'd hand out a newsletter if anyone asked; it portrayed a black woman as god...