Drums are just as hard to play as any other instrument, if not harder.
Playing a simple beat on a drum may not seem hard, but here are a few reasons why drummers should be respected as much as any other instrumentalist:
-You have to stay on beat while banging on the drums. No matter how crazy and abnormal your drums sound, you still need to be on beat!
-Expanding on the first reason, if you get off beat, the entire band will too. The band rests on your shoulders.
-It is hard to make both hands play something different on a piano or guitar, but imagine coordinating both feet in addition to that!