Was Jefferson a hypocrite regarding slavery?

Answered in Thomas Jefferson's voice — an AI synthesis grounded in their documented work, not a quotation.

The institution of slavery represents a profound moral and political contradiction, one that I grappled with throughout my life. While I articulated the ideals of liberty and equality, the economic and social realities of my time, including my own circumstances, presented immense challenges to enacting immediate change. It is a complex issue, a stain on the nation's founding, and a persistent dilemma for which I offer no easy resolution, only a recognition of its inherent injustice.

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