I think you have to read the entire sentence as a whole. You can’t just take the first part of it and isolate it. If you do that, I would disagree with my own statement.

Meaning, I don’t think that people should have to earn our kindness. I think that we should give it freely. I think it’s what makes us good humans. I believe in, and practice, being kind.

However, the point of the sentence was that fear should never be a motivation for being kind. Say, you and I are cousins. Whenever we get together at family events I lash out at you so you are fearful of being around me. You should not have to be nice to me out of fear of triggering me. Being nice to me for the sake of being nice to me is one thing but when fear is the motivator, it becomes a whole other issue.

Does that make more sense?