Why 'all men are created equal'
In political history, there is undeniably no greater sentence than the following, taken from the Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson:
TL;DR
- The phrase 'all men are created equal' from the Declaration of Independence is a cornerstone of Western civilization.
- This concept originates from the Judeo-Christian understanding that humans are created in God's image, granting them inherent equality and value.
- The author emphasizes that our equality is derived from being 'created,' distinguishing it from a modern interpretation of simply 'being equal.'
- Historical failures like slavery do not invalidate the truth of the declaration but highlight humanity's flaws.
- The 'self-evidence' of equality in the West is attributed to embracing the nation's Judeo-Christian foundation.