[Celirra]

I think the lines between respecting and being nice are often tangled together, even though it's possible to be respectful without necessarily being nice, and vice versa.

The issue as a whole is that respect and niceness are both subjective and open for interpretation, and a good intentioned comment or action could lead to someone actually feeling disrespected or let down, or sometimes being respectful requires some un-niceness, which can be interpreted as disrespect.

I think naturally, whether right or not, being nice helps people get the idea that you're being respectful, as long as it doesnt dip into condescension... I also think theres natural bias integrated with niceness and respect, due to anything such as ideals or affiliations or even how someone is regarded, that clouds opinions on where the lines are drawn for these topics.