[Ryzorian]

Respect in this context can be perceived in different ways.

I would respect a stranger out of basic courtesy. That type of respect though is the same for everyone you meet on the street. "Hi how are you? Lovely Morning" Type of respect. I don't know what they do or how they live in that sense, I'm simply being polite.

Respecting someone as a person, depends on what your looking for as respect. Idolization is a type of respect, allthough useually misplaced.
Everyone has skeletons in the closet, just because a person has made a mistake or does something I may not choose to do doesn't mean I would no longer respect them. Afterall, I chose to befriend them, good or bad.

Perhaps what is really at issue here isn't wether one is afraid they will recieve respect from other's or not, but that they have lost the respect of themselves.