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Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Revisiting the Murder of an American Teacher in Guangzhou, China  'Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?' 'That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat. 'I don't much care where --' said Alice. 'Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat. '--so long as I get somewhere,' Alice added as an explanation. ~ Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Here is a new report I just received from Darren Russell's mother in California. It is a bit dated for folks in the states, but it is a first for those of us in China: After my post several months ago on the death of the American teacher, known to his Chinese friends and students as the "White Rabbit", I have begun to feel like a character in a Charles Lutwidge Dodson tale. Charles is better known to us as Lewis Carroll. The expat known as White Rabbit lost his life a little more than a year ago in Guangzhou, China. Lutwidge's real handle is unknown to most save a few literary buffs and historians, but I hope Darren becomes known to anyone and everyone considering a visit or teaching assignment in China. My involvement started out as a a simple blog entry and has morphed into a tale of intrigue, lies, betrayal, new friendships and absolute certainty, on my part, that something went terribly wrong some people have gone to great lengths to cover up the truth. Following are, once again, links to stories I implore you to read. I beg you to familiarize yourself with the case of the White Rabbit in hopes that no teacher or traveller in China will suffer such a fate and that his family will find solace after a bizarre year of misdirections, riddles and lies. The site erected by his mother, who has refused book and television contracts, only wanting justice served and future Americans in need protected, can be found here: WHITE RABBIT'S MOM WHITE RABBIT'S MOM. Please sign her petition. Watch an NBC report here:  And expect another to be aired in the near future. A few months ago you read that the death of professional football player Pat Tillman, killed in Afghanistan over two years ago, was not an accident but, a negligent homicide. Tillman's family, after pressing for months, finally is receiving real answers to what is now clearly known to have been a cover-up. I wish the same for the loved ones of Darren Russell for I think the same is true in his case. Not long after my first post a member of the American consulate staff in Guangzhou, an entity under scrutiny for the handling of Darren's case, placed a comment on my site (sent though a private email box but, traceable by IP to the US consulate computers) that would lead you to believe that Darren was a substance abuser and that his death was part and parcel of his dealings with the same. The consulate employee works in the Public Affairs office in the Guangzhou consulate: Don't believe this lie if you see it in print. I refused to print a second harsh comment from the same source. Either he was directed by the US Consulate to lead us astray or is guilty of extreme stupidity. He used government computers to further to seed doubt about Darren. If only someone at the consulate had devoted that kind of energy to saving his life.... I have also received cryptic emails from an alleged "foreign expert" in China asking me to secure information concerning elements of Darren's death. He said that he was working in concert with White Rabbit's mother. He went on to print information against the wishes of Darren's mother that might jeopardize an ongoing investigation. It seems he was more bent on self promotion and publicity than he was on help. Additionally, he said he was in close personal contact with consular officials. There has been more but, I am not yet at liberty to share. I will not share until it is clear such disclosures will wholly benefit only Darren and his family's wishes. This isn't America's Most Wanted or the Drudge Report. I hope the name Darren Russell stays with you for many years and many important reasons beyond his murder: He was beloved by family, friends and students. I met with one of his young charges just yesterday and he confirmed that Darren was highly regarded. Darren was the sort of generous human who even gave of his meager salary (3,500 RMB) to augment materials in his school and to assist other expats in trouble in Guangzhou. He was a devoted son and an American to be proud of as a teaching ambassador to another country. You would have been privileged to know him. As a dedicated teacher he worked nearly impossible hours foisted on him by an unscrupulous recruiter who kept control of his schedule. He was initially, and unwittingly, employed by an unlicensed school that did not honor his contract terms. He was extremely ill at the time of his death and received, like the majority of us, inadequate/inappropriate medical aid. Even if we were to buy into character assassinations of Darren it would not absolve agencies of failing to intervene when it was clear a fellow citizen was such serious trouble. He and his family begged in vain for assistance in procuring him safe passage to America. I am out of Wonderland and seeing much more clearly now. I hope you are too. He was let down by the recruitment agency and American and Chinese governmental agencies-- in life and in death--and he deserves a better epitaph. His mother? She simply wants the confusion to end and the investigation to go somewhere , anywhere with answers. By Lonnie B. Hodge China White Rabbit Asia China Darren Russel Lonnie Hodge Teaching in China ESL Guangzhou Politics US State Department Cold Case Blogger News Network is advertiser-supported, and your visits to our advertisers help BNN to meet its expenses. Help keep us afloat! posted by Lonnie at 7:40 AM |
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