WWJD- What Was Jefferson Doing?

In our seminar this week, there was a lot of dispute about Jefferson’s document, Stanton’s argument, and Douglass’s speech. I don’t believe that there is any one document that is the most correct and should be the most respected. But since the Declaration of Independence got the most hate, I will do my best to defend it. First of all, Jefferson’s main purpose in creating the Declaration of Independence is to help the United States get out of the tyrannical rule of the kind in Great Britain, not to make all American citizens have all equal rights in regards to skin color or gender. He does say "that all men are created equal, and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness", but this means that no one person should have unlimited power over a body of people, such as the king. In a way, he did help everybody become equal by getting rid of the tyrant. I guess Stanton and Douglass thought that this would resolve all inequality everywhere. They have to understand, though, that this document is because the United States should be “Free and Independent States…Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown”. That is the purpose of this document. Stanton says that “He has compelled her to submit to laws, in the formation of which she has no voice”, but that can change. If the Declaration of Independence had not been created, women would have fewer rights in this tyranny, and a more difficult chance to change the government, as the government was ruled overseas. Furthermore, Douglass should not be degrading the Fourth of July. He said so himself that “The signers of the Declaration of Independence were brave men”, and that event was a very huge turning point in American history. Yes, this does seem unfair for slaves, as they are still not quite free, but they are one step closer to getting their rights with a more fair democratic government. So don’t hate on Jefferson, because he made everybody’s lives much easier by helping us separate from Great Britain.