Rights & liberties
civil rights
Protections against discrimination and guarantees of equal participation, usually enforced by statute. Civil liberties are freedoms from government interference.
In full
The distinction is useful even though the terms overlap. Civil liberties are the freedoms the Constitution protects against government action: speech, religion, privacy, fair process. Civil rights are claims to equal treatment, most often enforced through statutes such as the Civil Rights Act, and they can reach private conduct in employment, housing, and public accommodations.
Also written as: civil liberties
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.