code: public static void assertEquals(String message, Object expected,
              Object actual) {
          if (equalsRegardingNull(expected, actual)) {
              return;
          } else if (expected instanceof String && actual instanceof String) {
              String cleanMessage = "";
              if (StringUtils.isNotBlank(message)) {
                  cleanMessage = message;
              }
              throw new ComparisonFailure(cleanMessage, (String) expected,
                      (String) actual);
          } else {
              failNotEquals(message, expected, actual);
          }
      }
docs: Asserts that two objects are equal. If they are not, an
  {@link LazyAssertionError} is thrown with the given message. If
  <code>expected</code> and <code>actual</code> are <code>null</code>,
  they are considered equal.
  
  @param message the identifying message for the {@link LazyAssertionError} (<code>null</code>
  okay)
  @param expected expected value
  @param actual actual value