Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Defending our most treasured rights
Our country’s Constitution and federal laws contain critical protections that form the foundation of our inclusive society – the right to be free from discrimination, the freedom to worship as we choose, the right to vote for our elected representatives, the protections of due process, the right to privacy. Senator Coons believes we must vigilantly protect these rights and work to expand their reach.
As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Senator Coons’ priorities include:
Ensuring that all Americans are free from discrimination. Our Constitution begins with those famous seven words:“We the People of the United States.” Today, we understand, “we the people” means all the people. Senator Coons is proud that, over the course of our nation’s history, we have expanded our understanding of Due Process and Equal Protection, and we have passed criticalcivil rightslaws so that all people have the opportunity to pursue their dreams, free from discrimination. Senator Coons supportslegislation that advances fairness in our society, from the Equality Act, which would ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as the REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act, which would combat stigma, stereotypes, and discrimination faced by individuals living with HIV. Senator Coons also recognizes that our courts must continue to be a place where the legal rights of all Americans can be vindicated, and he carefully evaluates judicial nominees’ commitment to this principle.
Defending religious liberty.Our United States were founded by people who came here for many reasons – searching for opportunity and wealth, seeking freedom from oppression, and in many cases, hoping to be free to practice their faith and to build a community dedicated to living out their faith. While other nations have been besieged by sectarian wars and persecution of religious minorities, inclusion of all faiths and equality of all people have been guiding lights in the success of the American democratic experiment. Senator Coons is committed to protecting the ability of all Americans to worship as they choose. He has opposed President Trump’s travel ban and believes that government officials and private employers should not impose their religious beliefs on others to restrict their individual freedom.
Protecting privacy.Senator Coons has worked with colleagues from both sides of the aisle to ensure that any law strikes the essential balance between privacy and security for the citizens of these United States. Senator Coons is also focused on consumer privacy and protection in the age of big data. We are all familiar with data breaches. Large and small, incidents that expose our personal data to unauthorized access or use are becoming a sign of our times. Senator Coons looks forward towards advancing policies that would betteraddress, inform consumers about, and prevent data breachesand unauthorized data usagewhile fostering innovation within the United States.
Securing the right to vote.Access to the ballot box is core to our democracy, and the struggle to secure that right for everyone continues to this day. Civil rightscrusaders of the past knocked down many legal barriers to the ballot box. Today, we must confront the challenges posed by a quieter campaign to reduce access. Senator Coons strongly believes that we must restore the power of the Voting Rights Act to block discriminatory laws from going into effect and defend access to the ballot box. He introduced the FAST Voting Act, which would encourage states to make voter registration more flexible, provide for early and absentee voting, help voters with disabilities and language barriers, and better train election officials. Senator Coons fought to secure $380 million in federal funding to states in election security grants to protect local election systems, and he knows there is more work to be done to protect our elections.
FAQs
Civil liberties protect people from undue government interference or action. Civil rights, on the other hand, protect people from discrimination. It is DoD policy to prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, mental or physical disability, or age.
What are the five civil rights? ›
Examples of civil rights include the right to vote, the right to a fair trial, the right to government services, the right to a public education, and the right to use public facilities.
What are the five basic civil liberties? ›
The five freedoms it protects: speech, religion, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government. Together, these five guaranteed freedoms make the people of the United States of America the freest in the world.
Is the right to bear arms a civil liberty? ›
Advocates have framed the right to keep and bear arms as a "civil right" primarily concerned with equality values and opposed to discriminatory treatment of gun owners and gun rights.
What are examples of civil liberties being violated? ›
Violations of these rights include excessive force by police, being passed over for a promotion because of a personal identity, denying housing to an individual because of personal identity, or efforts to impede your right to peacefully protest.
What are the 5 civil liberties that pertain to everyone? ›
What are the five civil liberties? The five civil liberties are the right to a fair trial, the freedom of speech, the freedom of religion, the freedom to assemble and protest, and the freedom of the press.
What is a violation of civil rights? ›
Discrimination by business establishments, including discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, ancestry, national origin, disability, medical condition, genetic information, sexual orientation, citizenship, primary language, immigration status, and other protected classifications.
What are a person's civil rights? ›
Civil rights laws can protect you from unlawful discrimination, harassment, or abuse in a variety of settings like housing, the workplace, school, voting, business, healthcare, public spaces, and more.
What are my constitutional rights? ›
First Amendment: freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of assembly. Second Amendment: the right of the people to keep and bear arms. Third Amendment: restricts housing soldiers in private homes. Fourth Amendment: protects against unreasonable search and seizure.
What is not protected by the First Amendment? ›
The categories of unprotected speech include obscenity, child p*rnography, defamatory speech, false advertising, true threats, and fighting words. Deciding what is and is not protected speech is reserved to courts of law.
Aside from occasional public disapprobation, there is no penalty for violating the Constitution generally or the First Amendment in particular.
Can civil rights be taken away? ›
Disenfranchisem*nt. Disenfranchisem*nt refers to the removal of civil rights, primarily the right to vote. States are able to place certain restrictions on who can vote, including restrictions based upon someone's criminal record.
What is prohibited by the Third Amendment? ›
No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.
Does gun control violate the 2nd Amendment? ›
Since the Supreme Court ruled that citizens may keep a handgun at home for self-defense in District of Columbia v. Heller, courts across the country have reaffirmed that gun safety laws are constitutional and not in conflict with Second Amendment rights.
What is the difference between a civil right and a civil liberty? ›
In short, civil liberties protect an individual's personal freedoms, whereas civil rights advance specific standards of equality. The First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of speech, which safeguards an individual's right to express opinions without government censorship, is a textbook civil liberty.
What are civil rights defined as? ›
Civil rights refer to the fundamental rights and freedoms granted to individuals by a government and are protected by law. Civil rights are an expansive and significant set of rights designed to protect individuals from unfair treatment.
What best defines civil liberties? ›
Civil liberties are fundamental rights and freedoms protected by the Constitution of the United States. Protect the privacy and civil liberties of DoD employees, members of the Military Services, and the public to the greatest extent possible, consistent with its operational requirements.
What are basic rights and civil liberties? ›
Though the scope of the term differs between countries, civil liberties may include the freedom of conscience, freedom of press, freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, the right to security and liberty, freedom of speech, the right to privacy, the right to equal treatment under the law and due ...
What is the focus of civil liberties and the focus of civil rights? ›
Civil liberties are freedoms guaranteed to you by the Constitution to protect you from tyranny. One key civil liberty, for example, is the First Amendment right to freedom of speech. Civil rights, in contrast, are the legal rights detailed in federal laws and statutes that protect you from discrimination.
