I HAVE been disturbed by the superior and patronising tone adopted by some of your correspondents to the involvement of young people in the anti-war movement - they do them an injustice.

Young people today live in a shrinking world where contact between countries and continents can be made immediately at the press of a computer key. They are also generally better informed about the wars and politics of the 20th century than my generation were and they are able to view those wars from a more detached and unbiased position.

I hope and pray that this is the generation who will tell their political leaders across the world that war in the 21st century is no longer an option for solving international disputes, and that they will insist that another and better way be found.

They should not be discouraged by the peace movement's failure to stop the war. On this occasion our Government has not listened to the people, but a rising generation of new voters could have a dramatic effect on future policies.

Pauline Marshall,

The Green,

Acomb,

York.

Updated: 10:50 Friday, April 04, 2003