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.
Los Banos is a city in Merced County, California, near the junction of State Route 152 and Interstate 5. Los Banos is located 26 miles (42 km) southwest of Merced, at an elevation of 118 feet (36 m). The population was 25,869 at the 2000 census. As of 2006 the World Gazetteer calculates the population as 35,054. The name los banos has its origins with Spanish and was named after a natural water spring that feeds natural wetlands in the western San Joaquín Valley. The original Spanish spelling was Los Baños, meaning "the baths" in reference to the adjacent water source. However, Los Banos means "the bathrooms" in common Spanish. Its official spelling is without the eñe. Official signs do not insert the tilde above the n. It can be pronounced as if the eñe were present as in "los banyos," or as it is spelled - an anglicized "loss bannos", though the former is often preferred. The city is served by Los Banos Municipal Airport for air transport access.