The United Nations Vs. Megadeth

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The United Nations Vs. Megadeth — Jul 10th 2007

By Dakota Smith

There's an interesting (or, depending on your perspective, idiotic) fight underway between Mark Goldberg, a Washington, D.C.-based political reporter, and Dave Mustaine, the lead singer of Megadeth. The spat started in June 2006, after Mustaine criticized the United Nations in Billboard. Citing the organization's "failure to perform" in crisis situations, he announced that the band's next album would be named United Abominations.

Goldberg, a writer for the UN Dispatch blog (which is supported by the United Nations Foundation but has no official editorial affiliation with the organization), quickly fired back at the singer, calling Mustaine an "aging rock star"--and worse, noting an allegiance to Metallica.

Fast forward to May 2007. Megadeth releases United Abominations on Roadrunner Records, which eventually peaks at number 8 on the Billboard Top 200. Goldberg didn't respond immediately, since he "forgot to pencil the [album's] release date into my calender." But on Tuesday he posted a lengthy reply to the Megadeth title track on UN Dispatch. "We listened so you don't have to," he writes, following up with a verse-by-verse response to the song. Among other things, Goldberg disputes Mustaine's assertion that the UN helped enable the 9/11 attacks, and that Kofi Annan's son, Kojo, was involved in an Oil-For-Food program scandal. He also states that the singer has confused Hamas with Hezbollah.

Yesterday, Mustaine issued an equally lengthy response on both his own personal site and the Roadrunner Records website. Apparently his comments are aimed at his supporters: "Whether my facts are right or wrong, and whether you agree with me or not, I know I have your support--most of the time and that is all that matters."

While praising Goldberg's writing, Mustaine accuses him of bias and contends that the two "won't be having tea" anytime soon. The singer also wonders about Goldberg's background. "One question would be, who is the writer that is complaining? Is he a real writer or some blogger? Does he do news, journalism, or tabloid reporting? Does he represent the UN or the American people or is he just an American like me, and is just venting? And why is he so intent on going after me? Why not use that energy constructively? He is obviously educated well (or has a thesaurus)."

NewsQuake can provide that information: Goldberg is a writer-in-residence at the United Nations Foundation and a senior correspondent for The American Prospect magazine.

UPDATE, 4:52 PST: It never ends. Goldberg has responded to Mustaine's post. Link is here.

Tags: megadeth, United Nations

12 Comments

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

JM — 4:03PM on Jul 12th 2007

1. Megadeth rocks!

JM — 4:02PM on Jul 12th 2007

2. Megadeth rocks!

T.Jefferson — 5:45PM on Jul 12th 2007

3. Dave Mustaine,
Megadeth does indeed rock! That said, I am glad to see a celebrity involved in watchdog activities. The political machines the government hides its agendas behind, the U.N., need to be exposed. And, what better way to do it than through alternate media like blogs, celebrities, and online sites dedicated to reporting the truth. Go Mustaine...run for President as an Independent or a Populist. I'll vote for you.

Davit — 4:50PM on Jul 12th 2007

4. Mustaine does usually have well-thought, political opinions. Contrast this with Metallica, who USED to, but have since sold out..to people like "Bob Rock"

Malok — 12:14AM on Jul 13th 2007

5.
The quiet war has begun with silent weapons
And the new slavery is to keep the people
Poor and stupid, "Novus Ordo Seclorus"

How can there be any logic in biological war?
We all know this is wrong, but the New World Order's
Beating down the door, oh something needs to be done

There was a King, an evil King,
Who dreamt the wickedest of dreams
An ancient mystery, no prophet could interpret
Of seven years of famine, the wolf is at my door
As predicted years ago, that that was, that is, that is no more

The word predicts the future and tells the truth about the past
Of how the world leaders will hail the new Pharaoh
The eighth false king to the throne: Washington is Next!

Disengage their minds, sabotage their health
Promote sex and war and violence in the kindergartens
Blame the parents and teachers; it's their fault, "Annuit Coeptis"
Attack the church dynamic, attack the family
Keep the public undisciplined till nothing left is sacred and
The "have-not's" get hooked and have to go to the "have's" just to cop a fix

I am the King (an evil king),
Who dreams the wickedest of dreams
An ancient mystery, nobody could interpret
Of seven empires falling, the wolf is at my door
As predicted years ago, that that was, that is, that is no more

The word predicts the future and tells the truth about my past
Of how the world's leaders are waiting to usher in
The eighth world power of modern Rome: Washington is Next!

There was a King, an evil king,
Who dreamt the wickedest of dreams
An ancient mystery, no prophet could interpret
Of seven empires falling, the wolf is at my door
Oh, that that was, that is, that is no more

There's something at my door, some ancient mystery
The future tells the truth about my past
And I'm the eighth false king to the throne
I've got you in my crosshairs, now, ain't that a bitch?

Washington, you're next!

alexjimcha — 10:58AM on Jul 13th 2007

6. Fuck that ass-kissing so called "writer-in-residence". It's not the artists, nor his fellow countryman to whom he should be aiming. It's the wrong politics and mistaken actions that must be criticized and denounced, like Mustaine's Megadeth and some others brave and respectable bands do.

bfrogv1a — 7:16PM on Jul 13th 2007

7. Megadeth rocks!!! And Kofi's kid was proven to have profitted on the Iraq oil for food program.

Sean Damon — 2:31AM on Jul 16th 2007

8. Awwww. It looks like Dave Mustaine hit a nerve on this scared worm in a suit and tie (Goldberg).

I totally agree with Mustaine. The U.N. is simply a joke and all Americans know it. The are basically found useless after being put under a microscope by the American Eye (The ones you can't buy out or Hush up)
Especially when it comes to activity in the Middle East. When did Iraq ever take the UN seriously? He didn't! He denied their inspections and played games until it was so obvious that the US stepped in and had to do something. Stupid UN gave Iraq plenty of time to remove any chemicals and WMD's during Iraq's refusal for inspection.

Aging Rock Star? Goldberg is a dumbass! Everyone is aging every second. Mustaine is a legend regardless of his age and profession.

Go for it Mustaine! Stay in the fight

Sean Damon — 7:49PM on Jul 18th 2007

9. Awwww. It looks like Dave Mustaine hit a nerve on this scared worm in a suit and tie (Goldberg).

I totally agree with Mustaine. The U.N. is simply a joke and all Americans know it. The are basically found useless after being put under a microscope by the American Eye (The ones you can't buy out or Hush up)
Especially when it comes to activity in the Middle East. When did Iraq ever take the UN seriously? He didn't! He denied their inspections and played games until it was so obvious that the US stepped in and had to do something. Stupid UN gave Iraq plenty of time to remove any chemicals and WMD's during Iraq's refusal for inspection.

Aging Rock Star? Goldberg is a dumbass! Everyone is aging every second. Mustaine is a legend regardless of his age and profession.

Go for it Mustaine! Stay in the fight

bilgi — 4:54PM on Aug 7th 2007

10. Megadeth is one of my favorite rock groups.

they are great people :)

thomas newcomb — 7:57PM on Aug 10th 2007

11. luck is me at 77 old smile if live long

thomas newcomb — 8:09PM on Aug 10th 2007

12. teach who i am for learning

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