COMMAERNTTARY
I LOVE THE USA
By Dick Crippen
JULY/AUGUST 2018 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 139
I f you know anything about
me, you know I never miss
an opportunity to express my
love for our country. No matter
what problems it may have, I have
always believed that the United
States is the best place to live in
the world. Canada and Europe may
be beautiful, but America has as
much beauty and majesty as you
could want.
These thoughts came to me after my sister moved near us in
the Tampa Bay area. She’d married a U.S. Navy man right out
of college and lived the military lifestyle while he served. Once
he left the service, they continued to move around the country
from job to job, and as a result, we had not spent a holiday
together in years.
Since my wife Penny and I wanted to spend some time with
her and our niece, we began to make plans to be together. We
selected a four-night cruise from Tampa that included stops in
Key West and Cuba. It was exactly what we had hoped for and
served as a great time for bonding our families.
When I was 9 or 10 years old, my sister and I had previously
visited Havana, Cuba, while our dad had business there. We
remembered the colorful country and happy people. We also
remembered the good food, the great music and dancing at the
Tropicana, the statue of Christ high above the harbor and El
Morro Castle that stands guard over the bay waters.
Therefore, we were excited to revisit Havana, and as we left
the boat for the day, we felt our first hint of change while going
through immigration. We were
greeted by people with stern faces
who never looked up or smiled as
they performed their duties.
From a bus tour, we saw what
has happened to this beautiful
city. Its examples of outstanding
architecture have not been
maintained for the most part.
Buildings with collapsed roofs
were still occupied as evidenced
by laundry hanging outside. Some say the lifestyle is like going
back to the 1950s, but I say it is like bringing the ‘50s to today
with little attention to upkeep.
We enjoyed our time touring Havana and our meal at a rooftop
restaurant. However, once we were back on board the ship, our
thoughts turned to home. The discussion at dinner that night
centered on the blessings we enjoy in the United States, and
especially in the Tampa Bay area. It made us realize that there are
worse things than the traffic on the Howard Frankland Bridge.
It didn’t take a trip to Cuba to make me realize how great our
country is, since I have this “thing about America.” Yet if I am
ever questioned about it, my latest reply is, “Why don’t you look
90 miles south of Miami?” Then tell me why America is not the
greatest country in the world. 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: Dick Crippen, a staple in Tampa Bay broadcasting
for more than 40 years, is a senior adviser for the Tampa Bay Rays,
and works extensively with the military. He is active in the world of
charity fundraising and sits on 11 boards for nonprofit organizations.
Dick Crippen