Respect

A man hurt my leg unintentionally. Stumbled & then felt very sorry for it, he also made a jesture of touching my feet with his hand, then touched his forehead & finally kissed his fingers of that very hand. This is a common jesture with many Indians to be sorry.
It made me wonder when we pay so much of respect for the person we hurt a little then why many a times we forget the same respect at national level? Why we have riots, hatred and anti-Hindu/Muslims demostrations?
Wonder why we don't respect others all the times.........