All Men Are Created Equal

At first glance, the Declaration of Independence’s statement that “All men are created equal” can make America seem like a country which promises equal treatment to all of its citizens. However, depending on who you ask, America is either a country which all backs up its promise for freedom and equality for all, or a country that is made of broken promises. In one of America’s most famous promises, the Declaration of Independence states that “All men are created equal,” and promises everyone certain unalienable rights to “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” If you asked white, landowning males who were alive during this time about whether they believe America fulfills this promise, they would most likely respond affirmatively. However, if you asked the women, Native Americans, or slaves who were alive during this time, they would almost certainly respond negatively, since they were denied American freedoms such as the right to vote. …show more content…
Similarly, in today’s society, the rich people in America lobby the government to control it, in order to stay in power and reduce taxes for themselves, so that they can keep their wealth. In a land where such freedom and equality have been promised to everyone, over 40 million Americans are denied life-saving medical treatment because they can’t afford it, according to ABC News (Reinberg). Despite the fact that about one in five Americans can’t afford to access proper healthcare, the wealthiest 0.1% of Americans are lobbying to make sure that they pay a smaller percent of their income for taxes than even the middle class when it comes to taxes that will provide healthcare for