Random question I've had knocking around my head for a while:
I've noticed that Anarchists use the term 'presente', often when referring to a comrade who has died. What exactly does the term mean and where does it come from? I assume it comes from the Spanish Civil War.
Apologies if this is answered elsewhere, I did a search but nothing came up.
Cheers,
Auto
from http://www.soaw.org/presente/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=5&Itemid=69
¡Presente! literally means "here" or "present" in Spanish. There is a long tradition in Latin American movements for justice of invoking the memory of those who have lost their lives in the struggle. It is used in the ritual at the gates of Fort Benning, Georgia, when we remember those who suffered and were martyred by the graduates of the School of the Americas. We pronounce their names and bring their spirits and witness before us as we respond: ¡Presente! You are here with us, you are not forgotten, and we continue the struggle in your name.Calling out the names of those killed by politically repressive regimes has a long tradition in Latin America. At the funeral of Pablo Neruda on September 25, 1973 in Chile, Hernán Loyala reports that mourners responded with "Presente" to the shouting out of Neruda's name, as well as that of Salvador Allende, the recently deposed (and killed) president. This was the first public act of protest against the 14-day-old regime of Augusto Pinochet.
I was wondering that just the other day, and also assumed it had its origins in Spain
The militarist under- and over-tones make the expression particularly unsuited to the Spanish -- and any other -- anarchist tradition.
OH my gawd....
I was wondering about this too, thanks.
Thanks for the explanations. I assumed it meant something along those lines but it's nice to have it clarified. 
Also glad to see I wasn't the only one wondering about it. 
Cheers,
Auto
I see absolutely nothing wrong with the expression. We really need to get over any moralistic posturing.
Anti-militarism is a moral posture?
I see absolutely nothing wrong with the expression. We really need to get over any moralistic posturing.
Rumbled! I'm now going to look for any posts where you may have casually used the term 'presente' then I'll rub your nose in any instances of your reactionary wordage and finally I'll moralise the fuck out of you in every conceivable way 
http://anarkismo.net/article/22950
Encontrados los restos del compañero Alberto "Pocho" Mechoso, sindicalista y expropiador, militante de la Federación Anarquista Uruguaya (FAU), secuestrado y "desaparecido" por militares uruguayos y argentinos el 26 de septiembre de 1976.
This was when the FAU had already become pro-Castro, so it makes total sense. Still not anarchist.
i really don't think it is that tied to the militarism you are trying to make it out to be.
it is simply used as a saying to say those people are here with us.
i think you are getting mixed up with what is lost in translation.
if we did this in english it'd feel like you were saying you were in class in grade school. just like when anarchists in america call for general assemblies and it either sounds like what politicians to at your state house, or like you are going to a forced school gathering in an auditorium to be lectured to.
The militarist under- and over-tones make the expression particularly unsuited to the Spanish -- and any other -- anarchist tradition.
Surely parody?
I remember reading the term and context of its use being discussed was used in Italy during the early days of the fascist movement; I'm pretty sure its Coogan's book on F.Yockey 'Dreamer of the Day: Francis Parker Yockey and the post-war fascist international' that mentions it. Fits in with the militarism/ultranationalist 'death-cult' aspects of fascism. There's some youtube videos of neo-fascists in Italy doing it with typical regalia and whatnot (straight arm salute after each name is read and mass 'Presente!' echo).
I suppose there are lots of anarchists who still use the clenched fist despite its history as a CP symbol of the Popular Front...
Used in a biography I wrote on Andre Nedelec in a quote by his comrade Devillard in last paragraph.
http://libcom.org/history/articles/1926-2000-andre-nedelec
Oops, better not use the word "comrade" either, too closely associated with images of the Soviet Union, not to mention militarism.
Used in a biography I wrote on Andre Nedelec in a quote by his comrade Devillard in last paragraph.
http://libcom.org/history/articles/1926-2000-andre-nedelec
Oops, better not use the word "comrade" either, too closely associated with images of the Soviet Union, not to mention militarism.
in German, "Kamerad/Kameradin" has this rightwing and/or militaristic overtone and is (with the exception of the antifascist survivors organisation VVN-BdA which uses this term for very specific reasons) not used on the left while "Genosse/Genossin" which is generally translated into English as "comrade" is pretty common among from social democrats to ultra letfists
I was being ironic.
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It means "present", as in "he/she is here". Like when soldiers in a military unit are counted, they shout "presente!".
I don't know if the radical usage of it originated in the Spanish Civil War.