Russell Leiman: Cooper acted fairly toward voter ID law

The Aug. 11 letter “Partisan double standard” commenting on the Aug. 3 news article “Voter ID will be defended without Cooper” highlighted a dangerous, growing and deliberate effort to undermine a carefully considered bedrock principle agreed by the drafters of the Constitution: the separation of church and state.

The effort to undermine that principle is not just a political tactic. It is a strategy, one that must be vigorously challenged.

The writer questioned why people who support Cooper’s decision not to defend the ID law condemn those who “refuse to bake cakes for gay weddings or provide birth control to employees.” The writer said, “both parties have strong feelings, backed by morals or religion, in not doing things that go against their beliefs” but “the bakers’ and others’ actions are condemned, while Cooper’s actions are applauded.”

The unambiguous distinction between those two actions could not be clearer. It is even obliquely acknowledged by the writer, just mischaracterized in respect of one.

The “bakers and others” are indeed acting on religious or moral beliefs. Cooper is not. His actions are based on the constitutionality of the laws in question.

The distinction between beliefs and the law is critical. And under intense onslaught.

This story was originally published August 25, 2016 at 4:02 PM with the headline "Russell Leiman: Cooper acted fairly toward voter ID law."