The kicker, the qualifier is and has always been: "equal protections under the law" (and, for the religious "equal to the grace of God as one of his creations").

That's always been it -- not anything else.

We go getting into the equal to others as far as merits, abilities, possessions, etc. then we're right back down the path of some eugenic bullshit, the same old socialist/elitist plot.