What's the difference between a civil liberty and a civil right? Everytime I think about them, I immediately conclude that they're both the same thing, just differently worded.

I'm not at liberty to say since my answer might not be right.

__________________
"Civilization is mortally wounded and something truly evil is being born to take its place." - Stephen Coonts novel "The Traitor"

Best recent book: - "Protect and Defend" by Vince Flynn

so a liberty is something you can do and a right is determining whether what you are doing is right. that is brilliant. and i think you are right.

A civil right generally refers to a legal right, usually regarding race or gender, while a civil liberty refers to natural rights, such as the freedom to speech.

__________________

Civil liberties: Guaranteed in the constitution.
Civil rights refer to legal rights and stuff.

In practice, liberties are things you're allowed to do. Rights are things that people can't do to you.

Examples would be good so...

Civil Liberty: Voting in the U.S. at 18

Civil Right: Voting without outside or unfair interference

----------------------------------------------------------

Liberties are the freedoms you have as a U.S. citizen. Rights are protections that keep others from interfering with your civil liberties.

__________________
"Democracy is being allowed to vote for the candidate you dislike the least." -Robert Byrne-

They are entirely different things.

Civil liberty means you have inherent liberty to do what you please, provided it doesn't interfere with other's liberty. It is the premise upon which our society is built.

Civil right is pretty much meaningless term. It refers to a set of rights that have been arbitrarily designated as 'civil', but as 'rights' qua 'rights' they are no different than any other 'rights' regardless of designation. Such rights my be abjured or limited at the discretion of the legislature.