My Visit To The Book Store

At least once a week, sometimes twice a week, I stroll through my local Books-A-Million. I walk up and down every aisle and stand over the "Black" part of the book store for a few minutes. That's been my ritual for the last year; I walk in, speak to the clerk, walk up and down every aisle, then stand over the part of the store where they place the "Black" books. (You'll find out why at a later date).
After I stand there for a few minutes, I always go over and ask the clerk; "Why do you place all of the "Black" books in one, small, tiny section of the store? And why is it that all of the books with half-naked men and women are the only ones "featured" in that small, tiny, section?"
Every time I go into the store, I do that. I do it so much that the cool, little white dude who used to welcome me to Books-A-Million, no longer speak. So, me being me, I go over and ask him the above questions. One day, the black girl that works there walked over to me and asked (with  smile), "Sir, why are you so militant? You remind me of the dude from the Spike Lee movie, Do The Right Thing."
She was talking about this.
 (Excuse all the profanity at the 2:00 mark)

That is classic!
Anyway, back to the blog!
The response of the guy (and black girl) was simple. The reason the books with the half-naked people on them are the "featured" books, is because that's what draws black people to the book. I didn't say anything, because unfortunately, it's probably true. But after DEMANDING that they put some brothas on the wall.....sorry.......I meant, place some quality "Black" books up front, I made my way back to the magazine section to check out a few of my favorites-Upscale, Black Enterprise, Men's Health, and The Robb Report (I sneak and take the plastic off). I started laughing when I noticed all of them (with the exception of the Robb Report-go figure) was on the second shelf and the "Black Men" magazine was front and center.
So again, me-being ME, I went back up to the front and asked the same clerk, "Why do you guys place a magazine titled "Black Men" with half naked women on the cover in plain view while magazines like Upscale, Monarch, Savvoy and Black Enterprise are on the bottom shelf?" She didn't have an answer.
But may I submit to you why I think Books-A-Million and every other store do this?
It's because we (black folks) particularly Black men, support and encourage those stores without even knowing it. As I was standing there reading Upscale, two brothas walked over and started thumping through BM magazine.
For the record, Maxim and other magazines with half naked white women on them were BEHIND the "Black Men" magazine.
I'm willing to bet, there's nothing of substance in BM magazine: Unless, you think any of these women with a behind full of silicone has substance. If they had any substance to them, they wouldn't be bent over on the front page of THIS magazine. Instead, they would be trying to get on the front page of Black Enterprise or Sister 2 Sister.
Don't get it twisted- I used to be impressed by this type of stuff. I used to thump through the pictures, buy the magazine then go home and thump through it some more. But there came a point where this stuff didn't attract my attention anymore.
I'm not trying to preach or tell anybody what they should do. But I'm trying to start a discussion to find out when will you get to that point. It's only then that I and others won't have to walk through a book store and see half naked black women on display like they're being auctioned off at a slave trade.