...laws should reflect and protect the rights of the people. Was slavery wrong? Of course it was/is. Does Jefferson's apparent inability to recognize the fundamental contradiction is his actions negate the truth of that? Of course it doesn't.

Recognizing the existence of "certain inalienable rights" and that they are innate in all of the people does not qualify you to also recognize and adequately define who is "one of the people". Clearly, many were denied various rights based upon physical attributes. African Americans, Native Americans, Asians, females of all nationalities and races have all been victims of a systematic failure in recognition of and respect for some of their rights.