Was I physically abused as a child?

I'm 24 yrs old. From the time I was about 3-14 my parents (both African American, raised in the South and now in their 60s) would beat me with a leather belt. At the time, my dad was a rather large man (roughly 5'7 and 180 lbs.) And he would hit me at full force with his belt. Today, I am a very angry, occasionally violent adult. Many of my friends have had similar experiences with "the belt" and most are able to laugh about it. I don't find it funny. I always argue that what happened to us is considered abuse. Many of my friends argue that 'whoopins' are just a natural part of a black kids' upbringing. My questions r...am I being to dramatic or am I the only person who has common sense? Is this a matter of race or just two stupid a**holes who r stuck in old ways? How has this affected me and how can I get over the disgust I feel for my parents?