Cry me a river:

Opponents of gay marriage expressed disappointment that an appeals court ruled Proposition 8 unconstitutional, blaming “Hollywood-orchestrated attacks” for the loss. ProtectMarriage, which sponsored Proposition 8, said it expected the U.S. Supreme Court would overturn Tuesday’s ruling.

The 2-1 decision by a panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals found that Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot measure that limited marriage to one man and one woman, violated the U.S. Constitution. The architects of Prop. 8 have vowed to appeal. The ruling was narrow and likely to be limited to California.

“Proposition 8 served no purpose, and had no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California,” the court said. Prop. 8 forces had a forceful response. “We are not surprised that this Hollywood-orchestrated attack on marriage — tried in San Francisco — turned out this way,” said Brian Raum, senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, a religious liberties group that helped form ProtectMarriage. “But we are confident that the expressed will of the American people in favor of marriage will be upheld at the Supreme Court.”

Some Hollywood actors and executives had been major backers of gay marriage.