UNICEF is bombing Smurfs in an effort to demonstrate that War Is Bad and that No One Is Safe. While no one would disagree with the first proposition ("War Is Bad"), do we really want a children’s welfare agency informing our children that No One Is Safe from war? The insidious subtext seems to be telling kids (the natural audience for cartoon commercials) that if even Smurfs can be bombed, what about you in your middle-class Western European neighborhood? The Bogeyman of War is lurking Over There and only UNICEF — certainly not your parents — can protect you.
"Smurfette is left for dead. Baby Smurf is left crying and orphaned as the Smurf’s village is carpet bombed by warplanes — a horrific scene and imagery not normally associated with the lovable blue-skinned cartoon characters.
"These are the scenes being shown as part of a new UNICEF ad-campaign on Belgian television.
"’It’s working. We are getting a lot of reactions and people are logging on to our Web site,’ UNICEF Belgium spokesman Philippe Henon said Tuesday.
"The Belgian office of the U.N. children’s fund said it has decided to use the creations of late Belgian artist Peyo to shock a complacent public into backing its fund-raising efforts for ex-child soldiers in Africa.
"The 20-second video commercial clip now being shown on Belgian TV aims to show that war can happen in the most innocent of places, Henon said.
"’We get reactions from all over the place,’ said Henon. ‘People are shocked and want to know the reasons behind this cartoon image.’"
<Tongue in cheek>Well, now I won’t feel like a Scrooge for refusing to give spare change for UNICEF to trick-or-treaters along with their miniature chocolate bars. After all, how could I support an organization that bombs peaceable Smurfs? Perhaps I’ll give the trick-or-treaters a miniature Smurf instead….</tongue in cheek>
(Now that I have removed my tongue from my cheek, I’ll note in passing that I have never refused to give trick-or-treaters spare change for UNICEF for the reason that I’ve never been asked to do so. I have never before seen trick-or-treaters collecting for UNICEF, although I suppose some have somewhere since it is an American tradition to do so, according to UNICEF.)
I used to trick-or-treat for UNICEF. (in my gullible youth) But I wasn’t so gullible that I took UNICEF up on their advice to collect pennies and eschew candy. I was naive – not stupid.
So, we have Belgium to thank for the Smurfs?
Figures.
“It’s working. We are getting a lot of reactions and people are logging on to our Web site,’ UNICEF Belgium spokesman Philippe Henon said Tuesday.”
After all, that’s what UNICEEF is all about: web traffic.
I want to see the actual commercial.
If Gargamel is not flying one of the planes I will be most disappointed.
Michelle, enjoyed the picture. But then, I’ve never really liked the Smurfs.
I suppose it would have been too risky for them to have condemned suicide bombings?
Meanwhile in the States, the Smurfs are so routinely savaged in parodies on SNL, The Family Guy, Toyfare Magazine etc. that this picture looks more like another take on a long-running joke.
I mean, what the Smurf were they Smurfing? What Smurf would be so Smurfed by this blatantly Smurf-brow Smurf that they would feel so Smurf that they would Smurf to Smurf, I mean UNICEF?
They should just change their names to SSSS: Smurfs for Smurfing Smurf and Smurfs.
Doi!