Why was Americans obsession with equality hypocritical?

Americans' obsession with equality was often hypocritical because, despite espousing ideals of liberty and justice for all, systemic inequalities persisted, particularly regarding race, gender, and class. While the Declaration of Independence proclaimed that "all men are created equal," many groups, including enslaved individuals, women, and Indigenous peoples, were systematically denied basic rights and opportunities. This contradiction highlighted the gap between American ideals and the realities of social and economic disparities, revealing a selective application of equality that favored certain Demographics over others.