Reply To: How and why should I respect a parent that doesn't deserve respect?

I would echo the words of yeshivishwannabe and some others here in this succinct way:

The Torah tells you to how to TREAT your parents, not what you must THINK or FEEL about them. Some people do have truly horrible parents (read: exposed their children to DV, drugs, sexual abuse etc.). The halachos of what you are required to do are clearly outlined in shulchan aruch. You are not asked to love your parent or to have feelings of respect, just to act in a respectful fashion toward them.