Wow..

I'm stunned by this one. UNICEF, in collaboration with the Peyo family, has created an anti-war TV spot in Belgium that depicts the bombing of the Smurf village and concludes with an infant Smurf crying amidst the devastation and the tag "Don't let war affect the lives of children." As far as I'm concerned, it's a brilliant and daring move, and a depressing indictment of how inured people have become to true depictions of war and death to make efforts like this necessary. Kudos especially to the Peyo family for bravely agreeing to the use of the characters. Of course, I don't believe for a second that a similar campaign would or could ever make its way onto American airwaves. We prefer our precious illusions unshattered, thank you very much.