He did. It’s true. I’ve got it documented.

And in Charles Roark’s words: “I don’t care… Take me on.”

Just thought y’all should know.

So how is this different than what happened the other night? I never used Robertson’s image.

Am glad that I didn’t, now.

EDIT 5:08 p.m. EST: Roark talked about this on his “warm-up show” on WGSR this afternoon at 4:30. He’s trying to spin it as if…

– I called Robertson out first.

– I told WGSR not to use my likeness at all.

Both are false. In fact, both are pretty much blatant lies.

Robertson wanted to debate me first. My only thing so far as “instigation” goes was to ask a theological question. He answered it. I was satisfied. Then Robertson announced that he was going to talk about me on his show that week and that I wouldn’t debate him.

So I took him at his word, met him at the station with my video camera and let him have his opportunity. He quickly reneged.

So far as any reasonable human being is concerned, Johnny Robertson was the one who brought this to the television arena. Not I.

And so far as what I’ve told WGSR goes, I made it clear that my likeness could not be used in promos paid for by Johnny Robertson and his so-called “Church of Christ”. Instead, Roark spun it so as to sound as if I was telling WGSR that it could not use my likeness at all.

So I called into the show. And told Roark that. I also accused him of very low journalism. He spat back that “this station is the most successful in the region” and then tried to make it sound as if I was “bitter”, having worked there before.

Sure Charles, whatever.

Folks, some of you have been leaving some… not too polite… comments on this post, about Charles Roark. I don’t really care to see those but I admit that the lesser angels of my nature are in resounding agreement. My last shred of respect for the man evaporated this afternoon, and I don’t know if I’ll ever tune in to WGSR again because of it.

He was right when he said one thing: once upon a time, I believed in that station. I thought it was good and I wanted to do my part to make it into something better. But I don’t know if it will ever be anything more than it already is.

If Charles Roark is happy with that, fine. But if Roark is throwing his objectivity out the window for sake of a wealthy, paying client – and so far as I know Johnny Robertson and his “Church of Christ” are the biggest things keeping WGSR afloat at all – then I can’t support WGSR anymore. Not as a matter of conscience. And the idea that I’m somehow “bitter” has nothing to do with it.

I can’t help but think that I doubt Charles Roark will ever understand that.