When Americans think of basic Civil Rights, they think of Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights movement that he led.  That movement is a good example of what Civil Rights ultimately stand for.  They are rights that every citizen has as a result of federal and state laws, but most importantly because of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

The most basic of these rights for every free citizen includes:

Freedom of speech

Right to due process under the law

Right not to testify against yourself

The right of adults to vote

Additionally, federal laws protect citizens from discrimination based on age, gender or race.

What Civil Rights Mean

Civil rights are not a license to do anything we like within society.  They represent a protection that exists between citizens and government.  Civil rights prevent State or Federal government from passing laws that infringe on any of those basic Civil Rights as defined in the Constitution. 

These protections do not exist when it comes to private or interpersonal communications, such as between friends or private business.  These entities are not bound from interfering with your right to free speech because they are not government entities.  This pertains only to the Bill of Rights.

Federal Laws, on the other hand, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, does extend protection from discrimination to public institutions.  Hotels, bars, schools, and other public entities cannot refuse service to someone based on their race. 

Additional federal laws that protect citizens from discrimination includes:

1. Employment discrimination laws

2. Age discrimination laws

3. Gender discrimination laws

However it’s important to note that there are specific regulations that define which entities fall under the law.  For example some of the discrimination laws pertain only to employers of a certain size.  This means that right now smaller companies are not held to the same rules of non-discrimination as very large corporations are.

Clearly, Civil Rights are not only defined by the Bill of Rights.  There are a variety of areas where laws have been passed to protect citizens from discrimination in employment, within families, and even within the criminal system.  In the United States, civil rights are considered a very precious thing, and this is reflected not only in the U.S. Constitution, but also in the many State and Federal laws that have been passed in order to protect those basic rights.

If you feel that your Civil Rights have been violated, there are groups that exist solely for the purpose of serving as a watchdog for citizens.  Both private and federal organizations can help if you find yourself in such a position:

The ACLU (http://www.aclu.org/)

USDA Office of Civil Rights (http://www.fns.usda.gov/cr/)

US Dept of Justice (http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/voting/misc/contact.htm)

FBI (http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/civilrights/civilrts.htm)