Federal Judge Virginia Phillips' injunction against the U.S. military's right to enforce its "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy regarding homosexuality upon its personnel has brought out the true colors of various political groups.

For President Barack Obama, the timing of Phillips' injunction is extremely awkward.

That's because Obama's Department of Justice filed an appeal the same day against Judge Joseph Tauro's July ruling against the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).  

The Act defined marriage on a national level as something for heterosexuals only, and freed states from having to recognize gay marriages performed in other states.  Tauro ruled the Act unconsitutional, essentially saying that states should decide about marriage for themselves, and that the federal government should stay out of it.

So, the Obama Administration appears to be heading in the opposite direction of the courts, and has people assuming that he'll work against the "Don't Ask. Don't Tell" ruling, too.  This comes as the Log Cabin Republicans, a group of gay conservatives who filed the DADT case, praised Phillips' injunction: 

"No longer will our military be compelled to discharge servicemembers with valuable skills and experience because of an archaic policy mandating irrational discrimination. The United States is stronger because of this injunction, and Log Cabin Republicans is proud to have brought the case that made it possible," said one of the group's directors.

The gay community has questioned Obama's commitment to secure equal rights for them, even as he has repeatedly pledged his support for LGBT equality.  

From a 2009 speech: 

"Nobody in America should be fired because they're gay, despite doing a great job and meeting their responsibilities. It's not fair, it's not right. We're going to put a stop to it. And it's for this reason if any of my nominees are attacked not for what they believe but for who they are, I will not waver in my support because I will not waver in my commitment to ending discrimination in all its forms."

Many gays are wondering why the Obama Administration is not putting action behind the President's rhetoric. Non-Log Cabin conservatives are criticizing the DADT ruling, saying it will disrupt the military's ability to operate (the fact that the injunction requires inaction rather than action notwithstanding).

Calif. GOP Rep. Howard McKeon responded: “We are a nation at war. This decision could have been a negative impact on military and family readiness since the Department of Defense is unprepared to address the issues that are bound to arise from such a hasty change.”

Various groups now wonder: where does Obama really stand?

Reach Kevin Grant here.