Monday, January 10, 2011

The Right to Respect

All life beings, human and non-human, have the right to be respected.
A being does not earn, merit, or deserve respect.
Respect is an inherent right.


Respect is a deliberate action.
One chooses to respect some person or thing.
It is a choice of conduct or behavior, an act of will.
This behavior or action shows
appreciation, value, worth, and importance
 towards the subject of respect.
However, the true desires or emotions of the person (expressing respect)
towards the subject (receiving respect) may be in contrast with the respect given.
Thus, the Right to Respect puts limits on the Right of Freedom of Speech.


Learning the curtsey to meet the British royal family.

Respect can be expressed in regards to 
human or non-human beings,


or non-living things or places.

Wounded Knee monument on the Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota

The philosopher Kant's 18th century ethical theory
 focuses on respect between people.

Towards who and what do you show respect?
Does this respect agree with your true desires?

The subject of respect can be your own self.

49 comments:

Unknown said...

A dog is due respect. Everyone deserves respect, just like Aretha Franklin said in her song..."RESPECT find out what it means to me!"

TrustMeImADoctor said...

Give Respect to earn Respect

cd884 said...

Everything deserves the right to respect. But respect is something you earn.

Unknown said...

Respect is earned

Anonymous said...

Respect to be respected in the same way.

Unknown said...

Respect others and you would have them respect you. Respect should come naturally. Respect animals and humans. It is said that most serial killers start out disrespecting animals by killing then move on to humans. If you respect yourself, you will respect others.

Anonymous said...

There is a prayer that says that ask to respect in
order to be respected. Do not look to be respected but respect first.

Unknown said...

Respect is a right that should not only be expected, but given regardless if it has been extended to you.

Unknown said...

without respect this would be a mad world.

Espy said...

Klaus mentioned that respect is earned. People must earn your respect and vice versa.

Unknown said...

You are born with respect. You only would lose it if you do something that causes you to. Although you may not like a certain person this should not mean you shouldn't show respect.

Unknown said...

respect is earned, not given.

shiv said...

Respect should be given and should be part of every single person. we do not need to learn how to respect, it is in our nature to have respect to anything that is living.

Melaney said...

In order for someone to respect you, you need to show that you are respected.

Unknown said...

If you can't respect yourself then you can expect others to respect you. We live with the choices we make, if we make the choices with respect towards ourselves then others will follow and respect.

Luz said...

if you respect yourself then you will have respect towards other people.

Anonymous said...

You first have to respect your self in order for others to respect you back. If you show high self esteem and a sense of self respect then others will treat you as you would like to be treated.

Gaby F. Baybeh said...

Respect and treat everyone as you would like to be respected and treated.

Janet Almonte said...

Respect does not take away from our freedom of speech because we are not animals we are human beings who are very capable of expressing ourselves in a respectful manner towards others even when we want to say something that takes a firm manner.

Gary norris said...

Respect is earned but not in all situations, sometimes it is given based on the office held.

Unknown said...

He who does not have the courage to speak up for his rights cannot earn the respect of others

Esmeralda said...

I personally am a true believer on respect to be respected. To receive respect you have to earn respect. If one disrespects expect to receive the same disrespect back or maybe worse.

Fernanda Alves said...

I believe in being respected. I think once a person disrespects you, you need to fight for that respect. I agree with the other posts, you should be respected in order to respect that person. It is earned even though its a natural thing.

Lisa said...

Respect should be a given no matter what situation you are in. I don't believe in earning respect. I could care less what someone else does because I cannot control it. I can only control myself. I respect because I believe it is the right thing to do and that everyone or thing deserves it.

Unknown said...

Respect comes from your youth experiences. If a person grows up in a respectful environment, then it becomes a way of life. Appreciation and respect goes hand and hand.

Anonymous said...

Everybody deserves respect, but you “earn” this respect by the way you act around others and by the things that you do.
-D. Diaz

Melaney said...

Repect is something that is earned. If you do not respect other, how do you expect others to respect you.

jonathan g. said...

Respect comes out of appreciation of a person, place, or thing. You wouldn't give a hobo the same respect you give to your boss or teachers. On the other hand, if everyone had to earn your respect, would that give you grounds to be rude to them? The truth is, everyone seems to be forgetting that there's a middle ground; manners.

Pedro Leon said...

A person should always respect other people or animals. Maybe feeling guilty can upset a person. If you show respect then you will get respect in return because you did not transgress.P.L

Anonymous said...

A person must also know who to respect, because not everyone deserves respect. Someone might respect you for his/her convinience.
-Jeiner

Jenny said...

I believe that Respect should be given to everyone and everything. In hospitals, people who are not Doctors or Nurses are belittled due to the position they have. Respecting the property of other is highly important.

JR

Anonymous said...

Respect start with ourselves. I also believe it is a code of conduct that we must follow to have order in the world.
Marcia P

Luisa Isla said...

Everyone should be taught to respect others’ religion and how they choice to live. Having an open-minded attitude would enable everyone to have some respect. It does not matter if you are from a higher class or live in a less developed country; you should still treat people with the same level of respect.

RV said...

A person that does not not respect others will not be respected. We need to show respect if we want to be respected

Anonymous said...

I think that one should respect other to be respected by others, and maybe if we all did that there would be less war and prejudice by respecting other people point of view. - AN

kevin0121 said...

If we didn't have this right, our society would be in disaster. people hitting each other, stealing, etc. the right to respect can go a long way.

Miglaude said...

The value of self-respect develops when we consider somebody or something is exemplary and if we lose this respect we work to regain it.

Patricia Delgado said...

I have always said that, you do not need to like me, but to respect me.
Patricia Delgado

Anonymous said...

Respect is the foundation of every relationship we have - spiritually and physically, with ourselves, others, and the world as a whole. It is an inherent right. A newborn deserves respect, but has not yet earned it in the way we often think of doing so. To disrespect is to harm, and that is something we do not have the right to do.
Gabe

Kevin M said...

Respect is a right but this is one of those right that we can lose we our own behaviors and actions towards another people.

juan said...

Treat people like you want to be treated, respect is an essential factor in our social life, if a person doesnt respect his friends, family and loved ones he doesnt even respect his ownself.

Anonymous said...

Respect is something that should be expected, as human beings it is the only way to live. I also agree that if you treat people the way you want to be treated, you will succeed with respect. -GP

Anonymous said...

Respect is something you have to deserve. You get respect from others when you respect them the same way. E.S.

Anonymous said...

I believe respect is owed until proven undeserved.

Anonymous said...

I agree that everyone and everything should have the right to be respected. It’s something earned not taken/born with. Even if in some traditions it’s inherited as a custom. No one is superior or inferior to another. It also demonstrates much of a person’s character. If you’d like to be respected start by yourself. - D.T

Anonymous said...

Respect as stated previously is an inherant right, BUT it is something that is earned. Respect can be applied to many things in life such as: family, co-workers, friends, other citizens, communities, physical objects, animals, geographical settings, etc. Respect is really a state of mind that only works if all work in unison to maintain it. Respect, in any form or language, spoken or not is understood and should be expected. Unfortunatly, the reality is that many individuals do not have respect for themselves, so how can we expect them to have it for others? Sad but TRUE.

Anonymous said...

Forgot to sign my blog found above...GIL RO
2/18/11 @5:49pm

Ingrid J. said...

Respect is due to everything and everyone from the least to the greatest. Some people have respect of persons especially if they have money or in a position or have some kind of celebrity status, and this is not right. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

aquintana said...

there are so many ways of showing respect, it is amazing how little it is shown in my generation. We have lost respect for each other and our own selves.