news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070420/NEWS01/704200369

Venus Ramey has earned lots of fame in her 82 years. She was Miss America 1944 and later a candidate for Cincinnati City Council and worked to save Over-the-Rhine's historic buildings. She performed on Broadway and in movies. Now, though, she's in the news for another reason. After confronting a man she said was stealing from her Kentucky farm, Ramey pulled out a gun and shot out a tire on his truck so he couldn't leave, allowing police to arrest him and two others. "He was probably wetting his pants," Ramey said Thursday from her home in Waynesburg, about 140 miles south of Cincinnati. Ramey was on her Lincoln County farm last week - "Friday the 13th, apropos date, isn't it?" she noted Thursday - feeding a horse when she saw her dog run to a nearby building where she stores old steel-shaping machines, lathes and other equipment. "This stuff is over 100 years old," she said. For some time, thieves had been breaking into the building to steal the machines to sell for scrap. She hadn't been able to catch anyone in the act until last week. She drove over to the building and blocked the truck sitting there. When she asked a man what he was doing, he replied "scrapping," and said he would leave. "I said, 'Oh, no you won't,' and I shot their tires so they couldn't leave," Ramey said. She had to balance on her walking stick as she pulled out a snub-nosed .38-caliber handgun. "I didn't even think twice. I just went and did it. If they'd even dared come close to me, they'd be 6 feet under by now." Ramey then tried to flag down people driving by. When one stopped, she asked them to call 911. Eventually, three people were arrested - one at the scene and two others walking on a nearby road. "They've been stealing from me for years. Those good-for-nothing slobs," she said.

As an interesting note, her picture was on a B-17 that flew 68 missions over Germany.

Bravo. Bravo.

We need a pic.

good shot

HAHA!!


Rad...her quote...

"He was probably wetting his pants."

There's someone who takes responsibility for herself and her own defense, even at the age of 82. No calling the cops and whining in the corner whilst she is victimized for her. Bravo.

Not sure that would be legal in my state

Great post!

Good job, lady. Bet she had a .22 in the trunk too.

What a patriot!

She was brought up in a different day and age.....





Right On, Venus!  

In MA, she would have been the one getting arrested, The poor misunderstood victims of capitalism and her gunplay would have got all kinds of govt. help.

Quoted: www.missamerica.org/images/history/c44.jpg

I'll bet she was quite the hammentash in her day....

She had to balance on her walking stick as she pulled out a snub-nosed .38-caliber handgun.

Haha. That rocks.

Even worse for the three guys who got busted.

"How did you get caught?"

"An 82 years old woman in a walker shot out my truck and had me arrested"

Hmmm the AP picked up the story and gave it some press. Geesh, I never thought I'd see that esp. in light of this weeks happenings. And not one remark by a cop saying people shouldn't take the law into their hands.

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070421/ap_on_re_us/brave_beauty_queen

ETA that's some damn good shooting for a 82 yo. with a snubbie.

AWESOME

If only women were more like her these days

Quoted: Not sure that would be legal in my state

It would probably not be legal in mine, but no (at least rural) county DA would prosecute her.

Sounds like a GREAT lady who could use another BOX of AMMO!

Too bad AR15.Com doesn't print up some sticker logos that we can buy and stick on Boxes of 38 Special and other Calibers to send to people who make the news defending themselves with firearms.

In particular Senior Citizens. Not bad some for one in their 80's hobbling around on a walker.




[bio]
1944
Venus Ramey
District of Columbia

With a relative who fought in the Revolutionary War, a Grandfather who was a Kentucky State Senator and a father who was a Kentucky State Representative in 1934, it seemed destined that Venus Ramey would develop a passion for public service within the United States political system. In fact, she began this interest at a young age as a page in the Kentucky House or Representatives.

After leaving her home in Kentucky to work for the war effort in the nation's capital, she entered and won the Miss Washington D. C. title. With her dancing, singing, and comedic talents she became the first redheaded Miss America in 1944. Venus was also the first Miss America to be photographed in color.

Being encouraged into show business because of her new fame, Venus performed in vaudeville included in her pageant duties, but made sure she sold war bonds all along the way across the country. Her war efforts in this area resulted in a Special Citation from the United States Treasury Department.

In her honor her picture was adorned on a B-17 fighter plane, which made 68 sorties over war-torn Germany and never lost a man. The story made the Associated Press.

During her tenure, she also worked with Senator Kaper of Kansas and Congressman Somner of Missouri on publishing their bills to get suffrage for Washington D.C. in 1945. For the first time, the District was able to vote. The bill was passed in both houses and signed by the president.

Legendary Hollywood producer Milton Sperling of Warner Brothers Studio sought to sign Venus for a major Hollywood film in 1947, but disgusted with show business, she returned home to her Kentucky tobacco farm (which she has maintained for over fifty years). Venus married, and began raising her two sons.

With Kentucky educational issues and a burning desire to see the word "illegitimate" eradicated from the birth certificates of innocent children among two of her issues, Venus ran for a seat in the Kentucky House of Representatives. Thus making Venus the first Miss America to run for public office. Later, she hosted her own radio show and published her own political newspaper.

In the 1970s, Venus received an Ohio real estate license to save a Cincinnati District called Over-The-Rhine, a four square mile area full of 19th Century Germanic and Italianade buildings. Her valiant efforts resulted in a full-page story in the Cincinnati Post, and subsequently led to a bid for a seat on the Cincinnati City Council.

She lost the election, but won the war. Over-The-Rhine was eventually listed on the U.S. Registry of Historic Places, the largest group of buildings on their list in the U.S. A poster "Venus Ramey for Council" still proudly hangs on the wall of Cincinnati's famous Stadium Club to this day.

think everyone here should send her another box of .38spl?

Quoted: Hmmm the AP picked up the story and gave it some press. Geesh, I never thought I'd see that esp. in light of this weeks happenings. And not one remark by a cop saying people shouldn't take the law into their hands. news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070421/ap_on_re_us/brave_beauty_queen ETA that's some damn good shooting for a 82 yo. with a snubbie.

And let's see if Carolyn McCarthy and co. say that Miss America 1944 was better off without a gun.

Excellent!

The 38 that she used was probably 50 years older than her.

The story was on Good Morning America.

Perfect timing for this type of story.