Respect is showing someone courtesy and accepting them as a valid and worthwhile human being, just like you, I think. I also think people often confuse respect with deference, to me they are different things.
I also believe that being a certain person does not necessarily earn you respect. For example I know I may get jumped on for this, but I don't like the concept of 'respect your elders'. People older than you may have more life experience but that does not make them any nicer, any more intelligent, any more respect worthy. When I give up my seat on a bus for an elderly person (which I do) that is out of morals because I feel if someone is less able than you to stand that is the right thing to do, not out of respect.
I also thing there are two different types of respect. Respect which I try and give everyone regardless of whether I know them or not, basic respects such as respect for their views provided they don't shove them down by throat, respect for their human rights such as the right to express themselves, the right not to be harmed etc.
However a higher level of respect I reserve for people I have gotten to know who have earned it, for example if someone gives a lot of their time and energy for others then for me (everyone has different things they respect, this is just a personal example) that earns them more of my respect. If they have that level of respect then I may then show some level of deference as a Result of the respect. On the other hand someone who for example chooses not to help people has my respect for their right to choice and views from a human rights stand point that I would give Everyone but not my personal respect for them as an Individual, and they would not receive any deference from me.
I.e I try (although I am human) to give everyone regardless of who they are/what they do a base level of respect, but to get respect above basic respect for their human rights it has to be earned.
I don't know whether any of that made sense and sorry for the essay...
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