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.
Mount Pleasant is a town located in eastern Cabarrus County, North Carolina, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 1,259. The town center is located at the crossroads of Mount Pleasant Road and NC Hwy. 73. NC Hwy. 49 also skirts the town to the north on its way from Charlotte to Asheboro. The town is an important reference point along the road from Charlotte, the largest city in the Carolinas and Raleigh, the North Carolina state capital. The town is also an important point on NC Hwy. 73 between Concord and Albemarle. The town was once the site of North Carolina College, a Lutheran College for men which closed in 1902 and later became Mt. Pleasant Collegiate Institute, and the Mount Amoena Seminary, a Lutheran finishing school for women (1859–1927). The Eastern Cabarrus Historical Museum is located in the old Administration building of the NC College. The town is home to Mount Pleasant Elementary, Middle, and High Schools, which serve most of the families of eastern Cabarrus County.