I wrote a blog post recently about my recent experience with the "openmic" here on steemit, which, if you have not read it yet I would suggest reading it before reading the present post (just a heads-up:  posts are written in *English*, and at, I'd say, approximately an.. eleventh-grade reading level.  Not trying to be funny, just seems that this is a real issue for multiple steemians.  Last I checked, Steemit originated and still resides within the USA, whose "first language," at least at the moment, is... You guessed it:  English!  A lot of members seem to have a problem with this, for some reason (see below where a man wrote "at" me in Spanish).  Not here to argue this point.  Just a fact.  Anyway.  Here's my first post, please read: 
 https://steemit.com/openmic/@gjones15/steemit-open-mic-is-a-joke). Needless to say, my experience has not ended all that well.  After getting into a confrontation with the "leader" (part of the problem right there) @luzcypher, who had some interesting things to say; and which, in many ways, revealed certain underlying motives to his not so "open" openmic.  

After calling luzcypher out on the fact that he personally permitted *at least* two (that I counted without barely trying) participants that explicitly broke the rules to the contest (both happened to be Spanish speakers; more on why that's significant in a moment), while summarily rejecting at least mine and one other contestant's entries (who both happened to be American-English speaking) that *did* follow the rules, he had a few more tidbits to share.  

After I apologized to luzcypher for having been a bit harsh after feeling attacked and marginalized by him,  he took the opportunity to continuously belittle me for me "feeling attacked," gawking over the idea that I could be so silly to have interpreted his accusations "so wrongly" --a classic tactic used by marginalizers).  He then tries to "address" my claim of unfairness in the contest by, again, marginalizing, and making excuses:
![Screen Shot 2018-02-19 at 2.27.16 PM.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmSL6RNs4ainAeyCwREZpgMCmxXe51Y4YX5eGXv7HdtKxY/Screen%20Shot%202018-02-19%20at%202.27.16%20PM.png)

But the gem is when he reveals the "real" reason and purpose of the contest he has designed... 
![Screen Shot 2018-02-19 at 2.27.36 PM.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmaUCU8muwqtYvZXFstRjHKMm2xBoTjFRZdyvTEx6uM9oC/Screen%20Shot%202018-02-19%20at%202.27.36%20PM.png)
 So there ya have it folks--luzcypher (and all the participants of steemit openmic, albeit unwittingly) have "done their job" if a family from *Venezuela* gets to eat.  To which I replied:  ![Screen Shot 2018-02-19 at 2.57.55 PM.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmZrP799LSDrpJaUqjtq6g9ViwkaeGbcj9RaBVuf9BLUzy/Screen%20Shot%202018-02-19%20at%202.57.55%20PM.png)



Perhaps this explains why there happens to be an inordinate amount of latin-speaking participants (let me re-phrase that:  "accepted" participants).

I explicitly proposed this issue of the contest's possible prejudice in my first blogpost, which I know luzcypher read.  He chose to blatantly ignore my questions surrounding this discrepancy, while if anything, *revealing* his prejudice.  Still, he said nothing.  (I guess this is preferable to *denying* i.e., lying about it... but, it seems he is silently *agreeing* with me!).  If it is the case, that luzcypher has this ulterior motive, which, it seems obvious to me he does, then, that's fine!  BUT, you are misrepresenting steemit, you are misrepresenting the openmic contest, and frankly, you are disrespecting all of the musicians--and music as an art in general--using us like this and not being upfront about what it is you are truly doing:  Giving favor to latino--or as you said, "Venezualan"--families who participate in the steemit openmic, while ostensibly running an openmic "open to all."  This is False, and people should know that when they hit that upvote for their favorite performer, it's *not* mainly going to "support the musicians".  It's *not* about creating a "community where *musicians* can come together."  That upvote and your money you contributed might not be going to the "best musician."  Given what I've seen, it seems more about giving favor to *certain* people, incidentally, people that might not even have anything to *do* with steemit or its openmic whatsoever!  Because, "As long as we feed a Venezualan family, (steemit openmic) has done its job."  

Of course I have no problem getting food to hungry people, wherever they are.  But don't tell me that dollar I gave you is going toward X, and then give it to Y.  That's called "scamming."  And also don't represent yourself as holding some "community" open to *all* musicians, and then freeze-out those you deem, because of some personal prejudice whatever it may be, and not expect to get called on it.  

So, Luzcypher, my call to you, please change the name of your "contest" to something a bit more accurate.  I propose... "*Luzcypher's* Contest to Help Venezuelan Families Eat," instead of, in a sense, "hi-jacking" something which *should* be held, in my opinion *beyond* such matters--i.e., music-- and use it to further some particular political end.

**ADDENDUM** PLEASE READ:  I'd like to add here:  I had also (unwittingly) submitted a song to another contest I found on steemit, called the "MSP Art & Curation Contest;" unaware this contest, too, was organized by one of @luzcypher's followers, @isaria.  (I'm also *pretty sure* she had deleted my entry--which is how I found out it was the same person after I connected the dots lol).  So I tried to find ANOTHER contest--and came across something called the "Steemit 'Talent Show"'.  Much to my dismay, and frankly, my amazement, but this contest was ALSO Sponsored by @luzcypher!  Interesting.  So.. these folks seem to have the bulk of the Steemit "music scene" on lock at the moment.