content: I'm not Gavin, so hopefully you won't be offended if I address your argument in his place.  Abortion is not murder because a fetus isn't the same as a person  What is it then? Every embryology textbook will tell you it is a human being, but if it is not a person, is it a non-person human being?  There's a reason that we have different terms for a fetus and a neonate.  Yes because scientists like to name things, especially biologists. Neither of the terms implies the personhood or lack thereof.  It isn't the most pleasant thing in the world, but it is necessary in a world where unwanted pregnancy exists  "Now I say, slavery isn't the most pleasant thing in the world. But my cotton fields need picking!"