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.
Boomer is a farming community located in Wilkes County, North Carolina. Boomer is listed by the United States Census Bureau as a ZIP Code Tabulation Area. The population was 1,929 at the 2000 Census. The community was named after its first postmaster, Ed "Boomer" Matheson. The community was originally called Warrior Creek, after a stream which flows through the area. Boomer was the birthplace and home of James Larkin Pearson, a poet and newspaper publisher who served as North Carolina's Poet Laureate from 1953-1981.