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.
Harrisville is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Alcona County. The population was 514 at the 2000 census. The city is surrounded by Harrisville Township, but is administratively autonomous. The place was first known as "Davison's Mill" after Crosier Davison, who in partnership with Simeon Holden, had purchased land and water power rights here in 1854. Benjamin Harris and his sons, Levi and Henry, of West Bloomfield, New York. A post office established in 1857 was named Harrisville, after the family operations. It was platted in 1870, incorporated as a village in 1887, and as a city in 1905. Harrisville is on the edge of Huron National Forest, which offers outdoor recreational opportunities such as hunting, swimming, cross-country skiing and trout fishing. The forest contains 330 miles of hiking trails. The Huron and Manistee National Forests were separately designated, but were combined in 1945 for administrative purposes. The Lake Huron beaches in and around Harrisville (including two state parks) have been recognized as being among the "top ten in Michigan. " "Old-fashioned lake vacations abound on this pretty stretch of Lake Huron. " Harrisville is situated along the Lake State Railway, formerly the Detroit and Mackinac Railway (D&M). The D&M passenger depot is made of stone, which makes it one of two along the railway (the other being in Standish). It is privately maintained by local citizens as part of the municipality's historical legacy.