This year there was definitely an edge to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at the MassMutual Center.

Yes, there were the musical performances that characterize the day. There was prayer. There was an audience that reflected the greater Western Massachusetts community: black, white, Latino and Asian.

King was quoted many times and his message of peaceful persistent protest to right the wrongs of American society was emphasized.

What was new, though, was some of the language from elected officials in their reaction to reports of comments made by President Donald Trump speaking of immigrants from “sh*thole countries,” such as Haiti and wouldn’t the nation be better off with immigrants from countries such as Norway.

(I can’t help but make an aside: Broadcasters who use the phrase the president used might be subject to a FCC fine because it’s profanity. Ironic, yes?)

Now, before we go any farther there is now a he/she said nature of the reporting about the comment the president made in a close door meeting with a group of senators who had worked out an immigration deal that could fund greater border security and keep the people protected by DACA here in the country – a deal the president rejected.

In my mind I’m more than willing to believe Trump said what he said, considering his announcement speech for his campaign said, “They are not our friends, believe me,” he said, about Mexican immigrants: “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”

Okay. This is racist.

Now I know if you’re a Trump supporter you either don’t care, or you agree with his remarks or you are willing to overlook them because you believe his greater message is acceptable. And I will assume you are heading over to your word processer to send me a cutting message about the greatness of our president and how I’m lousy American reporter scum.

It’s still a free country and I’ll print your letter, you know that.

I just couldn’t recall a MLK Day in the recent past at which a discussion of the alleged racism of a president of the United States was brought up.

Gov. Charlie Baker made an impassioned speech about how Haitian health professionals helped his mother and father during her time as an Alzheimer’s patient. The Republican governor – and one who has a higher approval rating than the president – was certainly not pleased with the president’s remarks.

Congressman Richard Neal who is the soul of diplomacy called the remarks “incendiary rhetoric.”

The speech made by Sen. Elizabeth Warren at an MLK breakfast event in Boston included this quote, according to the Boston Globe: “Donald Trump is a racist bully and we know how to deal with bullies. We do not back down. We do not shut up. We fight back.”

Now rather than address the nature of the various remarks the president has made about race, Republican senate nominee hopeful Geoff Diehl released the following statement: “Sen. Warren’s divisive remarks, including her use of an expletive intended for shock value, continue to divide Americans and do nothing for the people of Massachusetts, except ensure that we will not have a seat at the table in Washington, D.C. Sen. Warren’s concern of a challenge from Oprah and others in 2020 has nothing to do with remembering the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which is what this solemn day is intended to do.”

Diehl has been open about his role as a senator would be to support Trump.

Now I think Diehl missed the boat here. Conversations about race are part of MLK Day. Speaking about our on-going problems and then understanding what King would have suggested is appropriate. I guess he just didn’t appreciate the president being called a bully.

Folks, if you don’t believe we still have racial injustice in this country, then you are dead wrong. King’s words are just as important today as they were 60 years ago.