Ed Norton and Humans of New York Team Up to Advocate for Syrian Refugees

The Syrian refugee crisis has taken a divisive turn in American politics after the Paris and San Bernardino attacks. While President Barack Obama has stuck to his promise to allow 10,000 over the next year, many states have rejected his proposal. In fact, 31 states have pledged not to allow Syrian refugees to settle among their communities. While opposition to the refugees' entrance to the U.S. may seem loud, some hope to overshadow their opponents fear-mongering through an unbiased view of the Syrian refugees currently in America. Among these voices include the popular blog, Humans of New York, as well as actor Edward Norton, who have raised funds to help the refugees in America.

Recently, Humans of New York (also referred to as HONY) posted a picture of a Syrian refugee who chose to label himself as "The Scientist," according to Vulture. In the caption, of the photo posted on HONY's Facebook page, "The Scientist" was quoted, saying, "My parents were supportive of my education, but they didn't direct me. My father was a farmer and my mother was a housewife. They did not know much about science. But I was determined to become a scientist through my own personal will. I graduated high school with the third highest scores in all of Syria." As it turns out, many members of the mans family died in an air strike in Syria, and "The Scientist" has developed cancer while in the United States.

In a response to this heartbreaking story, President Obama commented on the Facebook post, saying, "Welcome to your new home. You are part of what makes America great."

In an explanation of his fundraising effort, Norton said, "Everything we raise here will go directly to this family to help the father get the medical treatment he needs to live and pursue his work, to help his family build a new stable life after their tragedy. And ... as the Scientist beautifully expresses ... to support his dream of contributing to the world ... If we don't welcome people like this into our communities and empower his dream of making an impact with his life, then we're not the country we tell ourselves we are."

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