Such efforts give the lie to what is accurately described as the racist slander that black Americans are incorrigibly incapable of facing the truth about their situation, are perpetually parasitic on the larger society, and have no other strategy than to
exploit white guilt in order to continue the free ride that blacks are getting on the wagon that others pull (to use Senator Phil Gramm's ugly image).
In a film filled with examples of whites either habitually
exploiting blacks — or even in the case of the fundamentally decent but chronically
guilt - stricken Schultz, deciding to «take responsibility» for them — Stephen's calculated and ultimately self - defeating betrayal of a figurative «brother» is truly diabolical and heartbreaking, not to mention a ballsy move for Tarantino, who could have easily gotten away cleaner as a
white writer - director without hinging the back half of his movie on a case of Southern Stockholm Syndrome.