Your attempt is admirable, but I'm afraid that a significant percentage (perhaps even the majority) of white people in this country are fragile snowflakes who cannot be engaged in a meaningful conversation about race without feeling threatened, becoming defensive or even resorting to reactionary hysteria. To be fair, white people in general have a poor frame of reference when it comes to the giant elephant in the room - which is why so many have for so long bought into the oh-so neoliberal idea that racism can simply be dealt with by pretending it doesn't exist. Unfortunately, neoliberalism's fatal overdose in 2008 now means these things are escaping the rug faster than Donald Trump (or Helen Zille) can tweet about it... and that frame of reference is as lacking as ever.