A civil right is an enforceable right or privilege, which if interfered with by another gives rise to an action for injury. Examples of civil rights are freedom of speech, press, and assembly; the right to vote; freedom from involuntary servitude; and the right to equality in public places. Discrimination occurs when the civil rights of an individual are denied or interfered with because of their membership in a particular group or class. Statutes have been enacted to prevent discrimination based on race, sex, religion, age, previous condition of servitude, physical limitation, national origin, and in some instances sexual preference. Civil rights attorneys handle cases involving the rights of individuals to be free from unequal treatment (or discrimination) based on legally-protected characteristics such as race, gender, disability, national origin, age, sexual orientation, and religion. Civil rights cases can arise in a number of settings -- including employment, housing, lending, and education.
Alamo is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Contra Costa County, California, in the United States. It is located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2000 census, the population was 15,626. Alamo was named by the Spanish in 1850 for the poplar trees that lined San Ramon Creek. As an unincorporated community, Alamo does not have a government of its own. Police services are provided by the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff. Fire and EMS services are provided by the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District. In August, 2007, a group of citizens launched a new initiative to incorporate the community, the latest in a series of attempts that go back to the early 1960s or before. Previous failed Alamo incorporation efforts always included parts of other nearby unincorporated areas: Alamo-Danville (1964) and Alamo-Danville-San Ramon (1976). The latest Alamo incorporation came to a vote on March 3, 2009 when the measure was defeated. In 1985, Alamo almost had a chance to vote on its own incorporation, but Contra Costa County turned down the effort. Alamo has never had an opportunity to vote on incorporation by itself.