Unfortunately, humans are animals, and “some animals are more equal than other animals.” While it’s nice to think we’re all the same and no one is better than the other, we are often either beneficiaries or victims of our circumstances. While this does not eliminate the ability to improve one’s state or establish oneself as equal in relation to whatever they wish (other people, specific people, gender, person of different faith), it does step upon that goal.
All humans are created equal when our genetic lottery is dismantled. It is not self-evident that we are all equal because of this, but it is self-evident that we all should be. Jefferson’s statement is a step forward with backward phrasing: “men,” as opposed to “people.” Jefferson is a beneficiary of his era, and his words a victim of it.
