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Kal Penn raises over $500K for Syrian refugees in response to bigoted Instagram comment

Kal Penn raises over $500K for Syrian refugees in response to bigoted Instagram comment

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Kal Penn has perfectly trolled a troll.

On Saturday, January 28th, the actor and political activist tweeted a screenshot of a hateful comment he’d received on Instagram. “...Because you don’t belong in this country you fucking joke,” it read. As a response Penn created a fundraising page to collect $2,500 for Syrian refugees. Penn titled the campaign “Donating to Syrian Refugees in the name of the dude who said I don’t belong in America.”

In two days, donors have contributed over $530,000.

The campaign is a response to both the commenter and President Donald Trump, who signed an executive order on Friday that prevents immigrants and visa holders from seven Muslim-majority nations from entering the US for 90 days, and bans refugee admissions for 120 days. Syrian refugees, according to the order, are banned indefinitely. The move sparked nationwide protests as scientists, students, veterans, and more were detained in airports around the country.

Penn, who formerly served as associate director of public engagement for President Barack Obama, started the crowdfunding campaign on social fundraising site Crowdrise. “We are better than the hateful people who tell us we don't belong in our own country, that America can't be a beacon of freedom and hope for refugees from around the world,” the campaign reads. “We will turn their bigotry, along with the President's, into love.”

Penn, like so many others, decried the president’s decision to slam the door shut on immigrants and refugees.

In an early video update on Crowdrise, Penn said he thought the fundraiser “would be an uplifting way to raise 2,500 bucks.” As that number climbed, Penn encouraged people to continue donating to “continue to show the world that the American people care very much for everybody, especially refugees, contrary to what our current administration is now trying to do in our names.” Penn has since updated the goal multiple times. At the time of publication, it’s set for $550,000.

“What a beautiful way to resist and show some love,” he concluded.