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 Vernon is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Nearby CDPs are Fort Belvoir (west) and Fort Hunt, Virginia (north), The population was 28,582 at the 2000 census. While "Mount Vernon" -- drawn from the Mount Vernon plantation, the home of George Washington located south of Alexandria -- is often used locally to refer to the entire unincorporated area between Old Town Alexandria and Fort Belvoir, Mount Vernon as defined by the Census Bureau encompasses only the part of it coextensive with Alexandria ZIP code 22309, bounded by the Potomac River to the south, Fort Belvoir to the west, Huntley Meadows Park to the north, and Little Hunting Creek to the east.