Civil liberties and civil rights are mechanical components that affect how we live our lives. Each category can be applied in different situations, to identify different experiences for each individual. People in the United States, for example, have begun to question whether democracy is worth fighting for as more and more cases of humans being above the law are identified. Civil liberties are seen as guaranteed fundamental rights and freedoms. Or written in the Bill of Rights or the Constitution of the United States. They were intended to protect freedoms that governments cannot legally intrude on. For example, the First Amendment denies the government the power to prohibit the “free exercise” of religion and that states and the national government cannot prohibit people from following a religion of their choice, even if politicians and judges believe that religion is imprudent, blasphemous, inappropriate, etc. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay You are free to create your own religion and have a following, even if both the government and social organizations disapprove of its views. We have seen the Supreme Court get involved in cases where civil liberties have been violated. Lemon v. Kurtzman, for example, argued that the governments of Rhode Island and Pennsylvania provided public funding to Catholic schools at the time. The Supreme Court justice upheld the law and said governments cannot encourage excessive government involvement with religion. That said, how you practice your religion can be regulated if it interferes with the rights of others. Civil rights, on the other hand, are the guarantee that government officials must treat people equally and that decisions will be made on the basis of merit rather than on the basis of race, gender, or other personal characteristics. Because of the Constitution's guarantee of civil rights, it is illegal and immoral for a state university to treat students differently based on their race, ethnicity, age, gender, etc. In the 1960s, many states had segregated schools where only students of a certain race or gender were able to study. However, the supreme court ruled that these policies violated the civil rights of students who could not be admitted due to these rules. Thomas Jefferson wrote, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,” in the Declaration of Independence in 1776, but his vision of equality was very different from ours. However, the Founding Fathers fought to create an equal society, in which Americans were free from restrictions on their individual freedoms. The civil rights movement of the 1950s erupted when African Americans demanded that they be afforded equal protection of the law. Their actions lay the groundwork for other groups to begin demanding new laws as well. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In our nation today, freedoms such as the right take privacy and free speech for granted. But our civil liberties and rights are the result of many years of activism and perseverance. Furthermore, our understanding of civil rights and liberties has evolved since Jefferson's time. Recent events such as same-sex marriage and gun laws ensure that our conceptions of freedom and equal rights will continue to evolve in the years to come. profound transformation. Join us on the journey.