Just because it has the characteristics of a human being does not necessarily equate to it being alive. Humans since the beginning of time have equated inanimate objects with human characteristics and feelings, the philosophy of vitalism portrays itself in Pixar movies yearly.
The reason why abortions at the 12 week mark are legal in 50 states is due obviously to the fact of Roe vs. Wade. However………
The least known argument for Roe vs. Wade is that of viability. A 12 week old fetus is not viable outside of the womb, meaning that it cannot live on its own capacity without being inside the womb. Fetus viability is around and I believe legally set at 21 weeks. In which case abortions outside of medical reasons are illegal…..to add after the 21 week mark the mothers rights end and the states rights begin.
Interesting seeming that after that mark it is not about the fetus or the baby, but about the rights granted to the state over the control of the child, the baby or fetus or whatever at that point still has no rights, it’s just a swap of mothers rights to states rights.
Getting back on point however, a 12 week old fetus is not “alive” and no more a person than a seed is a full grown plant. While it has potential it is still a seed. However potential does not equate to absolutes, only probabilities.
While a 12 week old fetus shows distinctive characteristics of the human anatomy, which should be evident due to its DNA, does not mean it has life, only that it share traits known to humans.
However what is truly genuine about this little meme is the presumption that it is alive, even without conscious thought. An infant does not have a ‘self’ as we would contemplate our existence, much less a 12 week old cluster of forming DNA.
While I personally do not believe that consciousness of self is a prerogative to life, this meme assumes it as truth in stating,
“Anyone think its not a person?”
Meaning that the picture of the 12 week old fetus somehow has cognitive thought and a self identity. Which if you assume is true, would make a single ant that you would stomp on an individual conscious ant, with a sense of self. Would you stomp on an ant if you knew that it shared a conscious connection with us? But you will anyways, just like you will continue to kill flies and bugs and animals of all kinds.
In closing,
That 12 week old fetus is not viable on it’s own, it cannot survive outside of the womb on it’s own capacity; Not alive.
Even if we consider the plausibility that life has to have a conscious form of self identity, the 12 week old fetus falls short of cognitive self thought. Thus not alive.
So what is alive about the fetus? It’s potential to become life, that is what is truly amazing. The thought is alive, other than that, all you are doing is projecting your ideals and ideas onto an object that is merely a construction of DNA and growing due to cell reproduction.
Related articles
- The Beliefs and Arguments of Pro Choice Advocates (freedom.answers.com)
- Abortion facts and my opinion. What’s yours? (frickenseez.wordpress.com)
subjectivereasoning 
yeh, ok but.. know the difference between photoshop and reality.
😀
Kinda of confused….because this was about the meaning behind the statement, nothing about the actual picture posted. Thanks for the comment though! Your the 1st!!!!!!!