Kbdexter

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#christmas #foryou #foryoupage #4upage #4u #2024

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WHY WE SHOULD REMAIN RED RAIDERS! 2024 Dec 31 - “History Teaches Us to Honor Our Past” however New York State has other plans for its citizens in 2025. Ever since I can remember, our school identity was the Port Jervis Red Raiders. It honored our sports teams with the belief of once a Red Raider, always a Red Raider. How did this idea even come about? Let me begin by stating this land we live on was NOT originally Mohawk land. It was actually that of the Lenapes who had already vacated the area prior to the 1730’s. However, the Iroquois of western upstate New York looked at all lands in the Middle Colonies as native lands to protect and recover. We’ll certainly the two attacks by Joseph Brant (Mohawk name Thayendanegea), Torys, and his Mohawk raiding party, during our American Revolution, in October of 1778 and July of 1779 were significant events that had a tremendous impact on the area that we live in today known as Deerpark and Port Jervis (Port Jervis School District). See, during our American Revolution, this area was full of colonial Patriots who refused to sign on to Englands Loyalty documents (current day Deerpark/Port Jervis) while all other surrounding municipalities (Orange County municipalities to the east) signed on. That left us vulnerable to those two attacks. It was my 5th Great Grandfather Major Johannes Hendrick Decker who led the area colonists against these attacks. He lost his house (Brant, Tories, and raiding party burned it to the ground), nearly lost two of his sons (kidnapped but escaped), and fought for this land with others ultimately securing it from further attacks after fighting Brant and the Mohawks in the Battle of Minisink (Highland, New York). After the war was over, England never negotiated for freedoms and rights of land for their Mohawk allies. The Mohawks then chose to move to Canada (England’s continued possession). While there is no documentation, to my knowledge, of exactly when and why the Port Jervis School District embraced the Red Raiders as their sport mascot and name in the earliest parts of the 20th century; I can only imagine this exchange in the late 18th century to fight to the death for their land had to play a part. The bottom line in any sporting event is you pick your team or athlete and support them hoping for that win. Well, Brant continued to fight for his land (upstate western New York) but never succeeded. However his legacy can be summed up in his own last words, “Have pity on the poor Indians. If you have any influence with the great, endeavor to use it for their good.” …and that is what this school district has done. Therefore in remembrance of his ultimate desire to fight for his land along with our own desire to fight for our claimed ground we should forever honor this Red Raider name. Unfortunately circling back to New York State taking away our history, our sovereignty, our home rule, or whatever else you want to call it; we must “officially” become something new. So what name will be chosen that won’t ever be offensive to someone? None but the choices today are - Big Red - Iron Horses - Patriots - Railroaders - Red Badgers - Red Hawks - Red & Black - River Hawks The children of our school district will decide soon but I will forever be the Son of a Patriot in favor of honoring the Red Raiders. #foryourpage

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2025 Jan 28 - Share, Share, Share and Shout sit from a Mountaintop! Here is why we need to keep our school mascot and name! No script, just raw facts. https://docs.google.com/document/d/18oDhUjzfjSINvldJA-aYuo-y7uzxUcsnQtsQxT84_-c/edit #redraiders #redandblack #foryou #foryoupage @Port jervis @NewYorkStateOfficial