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.
Gaylord is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 3,681. It is the county seat of Otsego County. Gaylord styles itself as an "Alpine Village" and the city center features many buildings with Tyrolean traverse style motifs. Receiving abundant snowfall and experiencing mild summer temperatures, for many years the area around Gaylord has become known for its many skiing and golf resorts, one of the largest such concentrations in the Midwest. Gaylord features an annual event in July known as the Alpenfest. Participants are encouraged to dress in traditional Swiss stylings. Gaylord is also seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gaylord; it is by far the smallest settlement serving as the location of an active Roman Catholic cathedral in the United States. Gaylord has two high schools: Gaylord High School, which is one of the largest high schools in Northern Michigan and competes in the Big North Conference along with the five other large high schools in that area of the state. Its 2007 enrollment of 1,076 pupils places it in Class A (large schools) of the Michigan High School Athletic Association. St. Mary Cathedral School is a Pre K-12 school which, despite its small size, has a successful athletic tradition. It is the only private school in the nine-member Ski Valley League and its 2007 high school enrollment of 110 places it in MHSAA's Class D. Gaylord has a sister city: Pontresina, Switzerland.