Dear editor:

At a time when the communities of Davis and UC Davis are entering into a book project examining non-violent approaches to conflict resolution, I found it hugely disappointing to see the profile of ROTC faculty member Russ Meyer in the Oct. 17 issue of Dateline. (To read the complete story and view the photo online, see: http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/dateline/dl_detail.lasso?id=6793).

I am especially shocked at the image chosen to accompany the article: a uniformed and un-smiling military officer, arms folded in a threatening posture, with a skull image behind his left shoulder.

Is this the image of rigorous academic endeavor at UC Davis? Or is it a representation of the growing militarization of all facets of American society as the United States morphs from democracy to empire?

Thankfully, activists for peace far, far outnumber the militarists on this campus.

-- Paul Dorn, Mondavi Center