Respect and empathy are two things which are lacking right now and why this thing in the US is going on. It is a social contract human beings are supposed to abide by as one human race, but obviously it was broken. Because it was broken, then there's no equality. Respect can only be given if it is reciprocal. And sometimes respect can only be earned if you fight back when there's no other choice, when your back is against the wall. And based on my own experience, it worked on my case. If you take something lying down, the disrespect will continue, but if you take a stand, for the most part, it works. It is better to be defeated while standing up, rather than be defeated lying on the ground.