Know Your Civil Rights

Do you know your civil rights? If you don't know, then read on...BUT! If you already know - Read on, still! WHO KNOWS? You might get to know additional information you were never aware of before.

As you mature and encounter more people, either in your school or workplace, you are bound to hear claims that their “civil rights have been violated. There may come a time when you may also claim such. So, you and I and others who are bona fide citizens of our states must definitely know what our civil rights are.

Civil rights are those legal protections granted to citizens under the jurisdiction of the civil law of a state. Distinguished from human rights, civil rights may be violated or removed, and may or may not to all individuals living within the borders of that state. These may include the right to vote, right to property, right to bear arms, right to free speech, right to associate, etc.

For every U.S. citizens, Civil rights are the rights of personal liberty guaranteed to you, notwithstanding your race, religion, sex, age or disabilities. "No one should be punished for the circumstances into which citizens were born" - this is the fundamental principle behind the civil rights law.

However, it's only discrimination if you have one of the characteristics, for example: race, religion, sex, age or disabilities that the law protects. Like for example, you can be discriminated against because of your being blind or the way you walk. These are some cases wherein you can still be treated unfairly but doesn't actually involve your civil rights and liberties.

What, then, are our civil liberties? Several important civil liberties protected by the U.S. Constitution include: the right to speak openly; assemble freely; not be falsely arrested or maliciously prosecuted; due process should you be tried in court; freedom from excessive bails and fines; and cruel and unusual punishment; speedy and public trial; sometimes by a jury; equal protection of the laws regardless of your personal circumstances, and; privacy from unreasonable and unwarranted government intrusion into your home and personal affairs.

Being aware of these will help you in identifying if one of your civil liberties may have been violated by the government. Definitely, if you think your civil liberties were violated, you have the right to give rise to an action for injury. Here are several immediate measures you can do:

• Record all the details immediately. Detailed documentation can make or break your case.
• Follow through if there's an administrative process for complaining.
• It may help to get a reality check from a national or local organization that has experience with what you've encountered
• You can publicly air your complaint through the local media. It's a way to get your complaint out in the open and may reach others who have similar experiences.
• Consult with a civil rights lawyer to find out whether your case might be practical to take to court.