Miley Cyrus Gets Ripped For "Feeling Black"?

Dear Ms. Miley Cyrus,

Growing up, I was a huge fan of your hit television show Hannah Montana and some of the catchy songs you performed on the Disney Channel. Most of the themes reflected in your music revealed the life you lived as a teen in Hollywood with privilege and excess.

Being then a young black middle-class teenager, I never found the dichotomy to be a barrier between me as the fan and you as the celebrity. I found your personality to be entertaining and respected that you were being yourself and singing about situations that you can relate to.

This is not the case anymore.

Given that we have both grown up now (you: age 20, I'm 21), the squeaky clean youthful image we all want to let go of in our twenties is normal. It makes perfect sense. With all things in life, we want to show our maturation and express rebellion to picture-perfect perceptions. But perhaps your recent direction is not only disrespectful and ignorant, but also racially insensitive.

Lately, I can't help but hear about your recent fetish for "twerking" and your new-found interest in showcasing it for the likes of rapper Juicy J while performing his street rap anthem entitled "Bandz Will Make Her Dance."

Has Miley Cyrus gone hip-hop? I first wondered. But perhaps you took it too far.

"I want urban, I just want something that just feels black," you were said to have told hit songwriting brothers Timothy and Theron Thomas for your new racy song "We Can't Stop." And to take it a step further, you express what "feels black" in the music video to the song as a portrayal of you "twerking" (rather badly if you are actually trying to master the craft) with a group of black women enticing you on.

So I guess you were referring to the "homegirls with the big butts, shaking it like we're at a strip club" during that clip. I also take it that in addition to the tatted black guy with the gold chain in the back with you wearing your custom made grill... you now feel a temporary sense of blackness from that as well?

Go take a seat, or better yet, take a course on race, Ms. Cyrus.