A Suffolk University law professor has issued an email calling plans to collect care packages for U.S. troops shameful.

In his email, Professor Michael Avery has written that it is shameful that it is perceived as legitimate to solicit in an academic institution for support for men and women who have gone overseas to kill other human beings.

The United States may well be the most war prone country in the history of civilization, he stated in the email.

Barry Brown, the president and provost of Suffolk University, has written about the controversy on the school's Web site. He wrote that while Suffolk University has a long and proud history of supporting our me and women who have served their country in the armed forces, it also respects the right of our faculty members to exercise academic freedom and support all members of our community in speaking freely and expressing their opinions.

Camille Nelson, the dean of the Suffolk Law School, also gave a statement. While I personally intend to donate a care package for our troops, I respect the right of others to hold a differing perspective. Essential to a university environment is respect for, and protection of, free speech, academic freedom, and faculty governance, Nelson wrote.

Meanwhile, in another statement, Massachusetts Republican Sen. Scott Brown, who recently returned from a trip to Afghanistan, said: I know how much our troops value hearing from friends, neighbors, loved ones and even anonymous well-wishers who appreciate the job they are doing. It's sad there are still some people who fail to appreciate the selfless sacrifice of our military, but it makes me angry when they openly campaign to deprive our troops of the love and support they deserve. I wish Professor Avery could witness for himself the joy that a small gift can bring to a soldier, especially around the holidays.

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