Holding up signs and waving at motorists, nearly 60 people gathered Saturday at the foot of the Allen Street Bridge to get out their message: Reject Referendum 71 and halt the expansion of legal rights granted to same-sex couples. It was the second straight Saturday the group had congregated there.

“We wanted to make a stand,” organizer Elena Wilkins of Longview said during the three-hour rally. “We had such a good turnout last Saturday, and I said, ‘November third (the last day to vote) is just around the corner, let’s do it again.’ We’ve had people pull up and ask questions or sometimes express disagreement. We’re here to educate people.”

R-71 asks voters to uphold or reject a law passed by the Legislature this year that would extend marriage rights to same-sex couples and also to unmarried elderly couples. If upheld, the law would expand on the state’s domestic-partnership law and give registered domestic partners power of attorney, pension and death benefits, and hospital visitation rights.

The measure does not legalize gay marriage.

Jason Dotcher of Rainier said he believes that if voters don’t reject the law, legalization of gay marriage is likely to follow.

“A traditional marriage is between a man and a woman. If this goes through, it opens the gate for other definitions of marriage,” said Dotcher, 35, holding a handmade sign that read, “What’s next? Man + Boy? Woman + Dog?”

Wilkins, 33, said gay couples already can register as partners and visit each other in the hospital. She said she opposes expanding their rights. “These are privileges that should only be within the confines of marriage, not partnerships,” she said.

Melissa Stoddard of Longview said she was at the rally to represent the younger generation.

“I grew up in a Christian family and this is what I believe,” said the 19-year-old. “I love people, and yes, I do have homosexual friends. But I don’t support their lifestyle. I definitely believe it is a lifestyle.”

Leo Pisarchuk of Longview said he agrees.

“I know ex-homosexuals who used to be involved in that lifestyle,” he said. “They changed through their experience with Christ.”

While most of the protesters might be labeled fundamentalist Christians, Pisarchuk, 43, stressed his opposition to the law was not about his religion.

“I’m standing here as a citizen, not attached to any church activity,” he said. “Even before I went to church, I knew homosexuality was unnatural.”

People who support expanding the rights of same-sex couples have held at least two smaller demonstrations in the Longview-Kelso area in the past several days.

People who want R-71 upheld say committed same-sex couples should be treated the same as married couples on matters such as hospital visitation, family medical leave, insurance and inheritance. The law does not mention schools or change the definition of marriage.

Arlington-based Protect Marriage Washington led the charge to gather signatures this summer to force a public vote. The group says the measure will give same-sex couples grounds to sue and force the state to approve gay marriage.

Protect Marriage Washington also argues that marriage between a man and a woman is best for children. Opponents say the new law would confuse children and likely result in public schools influencing children to accept a definition of the “family unit” that includes gay couples.

“We want to maintain the values of marriage between a man and a woman,” Wilkins said. “We have had those traditions for thousands of years.”