The decision of guilty against the Russian band Pussy Riot underlines the political and social degradation of Russian society. Not only do gangsters run the economy and political apparatus, but the Orthodox Church is supporting them and fears any indication of its power. The Church will not submit to being stripped of its power and wealth again and is ready to help crush any movement that smells of liberty and freedom. The only good thing about the entire affair is that it points out how bankrupt the current criminal/religious state is and how the repression of religious minorities in Chechnya and other areas was really only a struggle of oppressive elites for taxpayers. As Putin and his cronies battle to hold onto power the paranoia between them and the Church can only increase with more brutality against demonstrators, murders of journalists and disappeared dissidents. If we ask what is different between Russia today and the CCCP one can only find one clear answer, at least the people had health care in the CCCP.