We need some financial journalist and politicians with this kind of tenacity;
>Grandma Beats Up Airport Security Guards
>by Bob Wallace
>
>Charges were dropped yesterday against Ruth "Grammy" Gordon, an 83-year-old
>wheelchair-bound grandmother, who was originally charged with assault and
>battery, and assault with a deadly weapon, because an altercation she had
>last week with six airport security guards, that left all six hospitalized.
>
>"Justice has been served," said the 95-pound mother of three and
>grandmother of six, as she sat in her wheelchair, aided in her breathing by
>an oxygen bottle. "Now I'm going to sue every fool in the federal
>government for ignorance, stupidity, and just plain general incompetence.
>I'm an American, and I won't be treated like this."
>
>The problem began last month as Gordon was attempting to board an airplane.
>"These guys are supposed to be some kind of professionals," she said, "but
>they're dumber than rocks. Here they were letting guys who looked just like
>terrorists walk through without searching them, and then they pull me aside
>and tell me they're going to search me? I don't think so."
>
>According to one witness, Bud Cort of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, one guard, "who
>weighed about 300 pounds, looked like he was drunk, and had his shirt out,
>told this woman she couldn't board the plane unless they searched her. He
>was really rude. That's when the trouble started."
>
>Videotapes showed that Gordon ran the guard down with her motorized
>wheelchair, then sat on top of the screaming man while spinning her chair
>in circles. "Doofus was so fat he couldn't get up," said Gordon with a
>giggle.
>
>One guard who attempted to pull Gordon's wheelchair off of the screaming
>man from behind was hit over the head with an oxygen bottle and knocked
>unconscious. A third guard, who approached Gordon from the front, was also
>left dazed on the floor. Witnesses said she was cackling, "Put your hands
>on an old lady, will you?" as she bashed both guards.
>
>The tape also showed a fourth guard attempting to grab Gordon's wheelchair.
>Gordon removed a knitting needle from her purse and stabbed him in his left
>buttock. "What a wimp," she told reporters. "He started screaming and
>grabbing his butt and running like a puppy that someone kicked."
>
>"It was amazing," said another witness, a Scott Ryan. "The whole crowd just
>stood there cheering and clapping. I mean, she was whupping butt."
>
>A fifth guard that attempted to grab Gordon had the seat of his pants set
>on fire with a cigarette lighter than had escaped detection. "He just went
>whoosh across the concourse, screaming and slapping at all these flames
>flying out of his rear," said Ryan.
>
>A sixth guard did finally manage to get Gordon in a body hug. "I think that
>was the wrong thing to do," said another witness, who declined to be
>identified. "She just grabbed him by his greasy hair with one hand and
>cracked him across the jaw with her skinny fist. And down and out he went."
>
>After all this, Gordon's chair was still sitting on top of the first guard.
>The tapes clearly showed her leaning over and yelling, "Apologize to me,
>you fat sumbitch, or when I'm done with you you'll just be a greasy spot on
>the floor!"
>
>As the crowd roared, the guard cried, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Uncle! I won't
>do it again!"
>
>Finally, Gordon surrendered without further incident, and was taken to jail
>and released on her own recognizance. "We didn't have any choice," said an
>unidentified officer of the court. "Over 200 people showed up to support
>her. I think if we had demanded bail, there would have been a riot."
>
>Over 20 lawyers offered to defend her for free. However, realizing the
>precariousness of the case, Gordon was not charged with anything. "I doubt
>there's a jury in the whole country that would have found her guilty of
>anything," said one of the lawyers.
>
>"I'm flying again tomorrow," Gordon told reporters. "And I suggest no one
>at the airport so much as look at me wrong."
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