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.
East Greenbush is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, USA. The population was 15,560 at the 2000 census. The word Greenbush is derived from the Dutch "Groenen Bosch," referring to the pine woods that originally covered the land. The first settlement of the land now known as East Greenbush was made by tenants under Patroon Kiliaen van Rensselaer around 1630. The town was formed in 1855 as the town of Clinton, the name changing to East Greenbush three years later. It is mostly suburban along its major highways and rural in the southwestern and northeastern corners. Interstate 90 passes through the town. It contains the west (or south) end of US Route 4 and the northern terminus of NY Route 9J; as well as US Route 9 and US Route 20. The last two are concurrent, under the name Columbia Turnpike, and is often referred to by locals as "9 and 20".