Skip to main content

What did you say we should do about Ukraine?

Dickinson County News - Staff Photo -

In early March, Enterprise Media conducted an unscientific poll on its websites for the Spencer Daily Reporter, the Dickinson County News in Spirit Lake and the Kossuth County Advance in Algona. People were asked to select one of several options to answer the following question: What do you say about the U.S. and the situation in Ukraine?

There were myriad options for answers, but they were broken down in ways to measure support, opposition or disinterest. Here's how the answers broke down from the 443 responses that were received:

1. We should not be involved in any way militarily, but offer humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine: 144 votes, 32.5%

2. We have done enough militarily and should not further escalate, potentially, into a war with Russia: 28 votes, 6.3%

3. We must continue to provide more weapons to Ukraine to stop Russian expansion: 123 votes, 27.8%

4. This is a proxy war with Russia, and we should be in it to win it: 56 votes, 12.6%

5. We should let Europe help Ukraine, if it wants, and stay out of it: 31 votes, 7%

6. We are on the verge of a world war, and we need to do everything we can to broker peace: 31 votes, 7%

7. I'm not sure: 16 votes, 3.6%

8. I don't care: 14 votes, 3.2%

From the answers given, and combining overall thoughts, the following can be stated:

• Answers 3 and 4 indicate 40.4% favor America, in some way military, being directly involved in Ukraine's battle against Russia's invasion.

• Answers 1 and 2 indicate 38.8% favor America doing nothing more militarily.

• Answer 5 indicates 7% favor America staying out of it completely.

• Answer 6 indicates 7% favor America trying to play peacemaker.

• Answers 7 and 8 indicate 6.8% haven't formed an opinion or don't care about the matter

There were differences in how people answered from one website to another. For instance:

• 54% of the Spencer Reporter respondents feel we have done enough militarily and should not further escalate. However, only 22% of the Dickinson County News respondents and 6% of the Kossuth County Advance respondents picked that answer.

• 43% of the Kossuth County Advance respondents feel we must continue to provide more weapons to Ukraine to stop Russian expansion. That option was also the most popular selection on the Dickinson County News website at 32%. But only 18% of Spencer Daily Reporter responses favored that.

Do you have an opinion about the U.S.' involvement in Ukraine? Send a letter to the editor to your local newspaper.

 

Next question

The newspapers always have an active poll question.

Given the Lenten and coming Easter seasons, the current question is: How often do you go to a worship service? The potential answers are:

• Never

• Couple of times a year / holidays

• 1-3 times a month

• Weekly

• More than 1 time a week.

After looking at the early responses, once again, there is a mixed reaction from the various communities. Look for the results in an upcoming edition.

--- Online Subscribers: Please click here to log in to read this story and access dickinsoncountynews.com.

Not an Online Subscriber? Click here to subscribe.



Sign up for News Alerts

Subscribe to news updates