diff --git a/docs/10_Principle_Closed_Records.md b/docs/10_Principle_Closed_Records.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f2ebbb3 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/10_Principle_Closed_Records.md @@ -0,0 +1,68 @@ +# Principle — Closed Records + +## Definition + +A **closed record** is the complete and final body of evidence left by a deceased individual. +No new actions, clarifications, or defenses will ever be added. +For the Civic Analyst, this immutability creates both an opportunity and an ethical obligation. + +--- + +## Why Closed Records Matter + +1. **Immutability of Evidence** + + * Contributions are finite and cannot evolve further. + * Every statement, action, and institution built remains as the permanent civic record. + +2. **Framing Integrity** + + * Because the subject cannot defend themselves, analysts must present evidence transparently. + * Selective framing can distort legacy — for good or ill — without possibility of correction. + +3. **Resistance to Exploitation** + + * Once an individual is deceased, narratives may be weaponized. + * Media, adversaries, or allies may attempt to rewrite history for their own ends. + * The Civic Analyst’s duty is to resist distortion by preserving and presenting the record faithfully. + +--- + +## Case Example: Charlie Kirk + +Charlie Kirk is no longer alive. His civic record is closed. + +* The BBC profile (*“How a teenage activist became such a close Trump ally”*) illustrates how framing continues after death: + + * Highlighting credentialism (“college dropout”). + * Labeling political identity (“hard-right Trump loyalist”). + * Casting critique of Islam as bigotry. +* These framings shape legacy without the subject’s ability to respond. +* The Civic Analyst must therefore separate evidence from narrative, measuring only the civic consequences of Kirk’s actions and institutions. + +*Source:* +Bernd Debusmann Jr. & Mike Wendling. *“How a teenage activist became such a close Trump ally.”* +**BBC News**, 13 September 2025. +[https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c33r4kjez6no](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c33r4kjez6no) +(Local copy preserved in this repo as `Charlie Kirk_ How a teenage activist became such a close Trump ally.pdf`). +*Accessed 13 September 2025, 6:53 AM (UTC-5).* + +--- + +## Analyst’s Responsibility + +* Treat closed records as **fixed evidence sets**. +* Make reasoning transparent: explain why certain evidence is emphasized. +* Ensure fidelity to the record, even when critical. +* Recognize that once published, the analysis itself becomes part of the closed civic archive. + +--- + +## Closing Declaration + +This principle establishes how Civic Analysts treat the records of deceased figures: +as immutable evidence requiring transparency, fairness, and resistance to exploitation. + +It will not be revised. Any future improvement must come from new analyses published by other Civic Analysts. + +---