And my point is that it is done because the gravity is higher than warranted by the facts.

We treat embryos and fetuses as if they were people, sometimes, because we want them to be, just like we might daydream about the house we will someday own.

But if some people dream about owning a house and some others aren't sure and go to an open house, ask some questions, but don't want to buy the house, we don't make them!

We go--oh! Okay. They didn't want that house. They went partway along the process to get one, but not past the point of no return (in this case, signing an offer letter). Fine. Let them not buy the house!

Home ownership is a little less sacred than human life, but on the other hand, property rights are a big deal. We still don't make them buy the house.

Things like "it's a clump of cells" help us emotionally process the situation, help us remind ourselves that it still is just potential. Sometimes you don't want potential to be actualized.

This is completely consistent with the rest of the way in which we, as humans, treat potential.