Hot Topic #104:

One of the main jobs of government is to protect people's civil rights.

Civil rights protect us from discrimination—not just on race or gender, but things like age, veteran status, disability, health conditions, and more.

How well do you feel like you understand your own civil rights?

Good for you! Your civil rights (like your right to vote, your right to job opportunities, your right to protest, and your right to be free of discrimination) are important, and it's good you know what they are!

Throughout our history, Congress has passed laws protecting the civil rights of more people, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, which protects the civil rights of people with disabilities.

But the Supreme Court recently sided against a disabled firefighter, whose retirement benefits were taken away because she got Parkinson's. The Court ruled that the Americans with Disabilities Act doesn't apply to retirees, only to people who are employed, leaving disabled retirees vulnerable to discrimination.

Have you ever been fired, harassed, or locked out of opportunities because of a disability or health condition?

Civil rights are the basic rights and freedoms guaranteed to all, like voting, protection from discrimination, the right to a fair trial, and the right to a fair shot at job opportunities. At the beginning of the American story, only white men who owned property had civil rights. But throughout our history, Congress has passed laws protecting the civil rights of more people, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, which protects the civil rights of people with disabilities.

But the Supreme Court recently sided against a disabled firefighter, whose retirement benefits were taken away because she got Parkinson's. The Court ruled that the Americans with Disabilities Act doesn't apply to retirees, only to people who are employed, leaving disabled retirees vulnerable to discrimination.

Have you ever been fired, harassed, or locked out of opportunities because of a disability or health condition?

I'm so sorry you've experienced that.

Not only is discrimination unkind, but in many cases it is illegal. No one deserves to be targeted or left vulnerable just because of who they are.

You have rights, and knowing them is a powerful first step toward standing up for yourself and others.

Thank you so much for sharing.

To learn more about how to stand up for someone who is being discriminated against, read Grace's advice for a woman ready to "make a scene" to put a stop to bullying at the grocery store.