(CNN) -- President Obama's remarks Thursday on the death of Michael Brown were an echo of his powerful 2013 speech on Trayvon Martin's shooting. Notably absent was any mention of race. A year ago, the acquittal of Trayvon Martin's shooter sparked protests across the United States. Martin was 17 and armed with nothing more than a bag of Skittles candy. Protestors believed that Florida's self-defense law helped enable civilian George Zimmerman to racially profile Martin and justify shooting him in self-defense. Studies had found that whites who kill blacks are more likely to be found justified in "stand your ground" states like Florida.
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Nafees Syed: President Obama spoke inspiring words after Trayvon Martin case
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She says his administration has not achieved much progress on racial profiling
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Syed: Profiling is route by which many minorities become trapped in criminal justice system
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Legislation to curb profiling should be a key priority for Obama, she says
But there is a major difference between the way the President addressed race in his Trayvon Martin speech and his @placeholder remarks Thursday.