Well CTD,
The coward is but one example. There are other types of people who make it impossible for anyone to actually respect them, although they usually boil down to one variety of coward or another.
I fully agree with you. Respect is earned.
The only quibble I have is that this is a bit of a red herring, as we don't have to respect anyone to present an argument in the most civil, mature, reasonable, and honest way you know how. How you respond should not be predicated on who the other person is, but what the argument is.
If the argument is well made, you can reply in a civil, mature, reasonable and honest manner to the argument.
If the argument is not well made, you can pick out any bits that are worth responding to, in a civil, mature, reasonable and honest manner, and disregard the rest.
Enjoy.
