Take Wendy Auger, for example. For 15 years, she proudly drove around with a vanity plate that read “PB4WEGO.” It’s a lighthearted message that many parents might relate to—“pee before we go”—a reminder that’s all too common when preparing for a road trip with kids. But despite the innocent humor behind it, the state of New Hampshire recently decided that her plate was no longer appropriate.

Wendy, who works as a bartender in Rochester’s Gonic neighborhood, was stunned when she received the news. After all, the plate had been a fixture on her car for over a decade and had never caused any issues. The DMV, however, had a different perspective and informed her that the message was deemed offensive. Naturally, this left Wendy frustrated and confused. Why now, after all this time, had the state decided her vanity plate crossed the line?

For Wendy, this wasn’t just about the plate itself. She felt it was about something much bigger—her right to express herself. She believed that the DMV was trying to infringe on her freedom of speech, a right that every American values deeply. To her, “pee before we go” wasn’t offensive at all; it was practical advice, something that countless parents tell their kids before hitting the road. It was a playful, harmless reminder, and she couldn’t understand why it had suddenly become a problem.