Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

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nDefinitions

nCivil liberties refer to the fundamental freedoms and rights that are secured by the constitution, or the Bill of Rights. They also refer to safeguards against the authority actions. For instance, the First Amendment assures citizens the freedom to exercise their preferred religion (Patterson, 2014). Therefore, the government cannot hamper the rights of an individual to worship. In this respect, the individual has liberty from governments activities.

nCivil rights refer to the constructive activities that the government must conduct to establish equality for all the citizens in the country. In most cases, the term is normally linked with the shielding of minority persons including women, Hispanics, and African Americans (Patterson, 2014). The civil rights are used to counterbalances the rule of the majority in a democracy, which normally disregards the minorities. Therefore, it ensures that all persons are treated equally regardless of their marital status, gender, or races in areas such as housing, education, and employment (Patterson, 2014).

nSimilarities and Differences

nCivil liberties and civil rights are similar because they are granted to the citizens according to the constitution. In this regard, the civil rights and civil liberties ensure that all people are equal before the law, and are defended from governments activities, which are contrary to the law (Patterson, 2014). The major difference between the civil rights and civil liberties is the purpose they are intended to serve. Precisely, civil liberties are designed to protect the ordinary citizen from abuse of power by the government. They safeguard the rights of the people such as the right to vote or marriage rights. On the contrary, civil rights are envisioned to protect persons from harassment and discrimination regarding issues such as ethnicity, gender, and race. Therefore, they are free from any form of unfair treatment or discrimination (Patterson, 2014). For instance, the US Constitution under the Fourteenth Amendment assures all Americans rights and equality

nCivil rights have a huge influence in my life because they ensure that all persons in the country are treated equally regardless of the positions they hold in government, status, race, disability, or gender. Additionally, they help to control segregation and discrimination (Schultz & Vile, 2015). More importantly, civil rights guarantee that no individual acts contrary to the law regardless of his or her status in the society, position in government, or bureaucracy.

nUS Supreme Court Rulings

nCivil Liberties: New York Times Co. v. United States (1971)

nThe case involved the press freedom where the United States government during the Nixon regime pursued an injunction against both the Washington Post and the New York Times aiming to halt the publication of Pentagon Papers. The content of these papers contained classified details on the decision-making process in Vietnam (Schultz & Vile, 2015). The court made a determination in favour of the media outlet quoting the significance of the First Amendment. Most importantly, the court argued that the freedom and rights of the media must be protected in order to check against the power of the government. In addition, the judges noted that the press plays a critical part in providing checks and balances by informing the citizens of issues of national importance (Schultz & Vile, 2015). The free and informed press is guaranteed under the First Amendment, which is essential for enlightened society.

nCivil Rights: Obergefell v. Hodgs (2015)

nThe case involved protection of marriage rights irrespective of the sexual orientation of an individual. The Supreme Court suggested that same-sex couples have the basic right to marriage, which could not be subverted by state legislation (Kennedy, 2015). Pursuant to the Fourteenth Amendment, all persons are guaranteed protection for their personal choices to peoples autonomy and dignity comprising intimate choices outlining personal beliefs and identity. Therefore, the government should accord gay person respect (Kennedy, 2015). In conclusion, both situations have more influence on the quality of life in the states since they control government excess and ensure the equality of all persons in the country.

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nReferences

nKennedy, A. (2015). Obergefell Et Al. V. Hodges, Director, Ohio Department of Health, Et Al. Congress,(https://www. supremecourt. gov/opinions/14pdf/14-556_3204. pdf).

nPatterson, T. (2014). We the People: : An Introduction to American Government (12th ed.). New York City: McGraw-Hill Education.

nSchultz, D., & Vile, J. R. (2015). The encyclopedia of civil liberties in America. Routledge.