I guess using the word "redneck" did carry the point quickly, just a wrong point maybe.
Regarding respect: cannot compare it with Switzerland first-hand, but in my experience Americans tend to treat each other with a lot of respect, compared with many other part of the world. Including cross-class encounters.
Perhaps we are seeing different America's? As someone who started out lower middle class and is now upper, I really see a country that isn't that much better than china and is very class based. Now Europe...has many problems also (aristocrats abound), but the day to day etiquette that is expected goes a long way into promoting at least social equality, if not economic.
Regarding respect: cannot compare it with Switzerland first-hand, but in my experience Americans tend to treat each other with a lot of respect, compared with many other part of the world. Including cross-class encounters.