The reason behind Russia's lurch to anti-gay thang

So, here's the thing about Russia's huge anti-gay tirade.  It has almost nothing to do with gays.  I mean in the big scheme of life.  Now it AFFECTS gays, but that is - for the laws' creators - neither here nor there.
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Vladimir Putin, in his first 2 terms, replaced the iconography of "Communism" with  Russian nationalism and a huge cult of Putin.  This nostalgia for the old days of Greater Russia pulled the country together and disguised the fact the benefits of more open markets went to Putin's friends and cronies.
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And all was fine in Putin-land for 2 terms.  Vladimir was hugely popular, Russia was making money and he had a plan to come back after sitting out a term (the constitution didn't allow more than 2 consecutive terms as President or Prime Minister or whatever he is).
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But then he came back.  And it turns out Putin-mania had hit the skids.  The oil money wasn't flowing like it once did, people were agitated and he needed something to pull them together.
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Enter an exact page from George W Bush's playbook.  Just as George Bush demonized gays in 2004 (state after state with anti-gay marriage amendments on the ballot) and helped sponsor church lead attacks on gay people in general (I could pull quote after quote from the 2004 George Bush playbook, but it would only annoy me); Putin found gays an easy group to rally people against.
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If you can't rally people for something, the next best thing to do is rally them against something... or better yet someone.
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In this, he has the huge backing of the Russian Orthodox church, just like George Buch had huge backing of evangelical churches in 2004.  The difference is, the Russian Orthodox Church IS the official church of the country - where we have freedom of Religion and no state church.  To gain the backing of the Russian Orthodox church, Putin got laws passed protecting "Traditional Values" as the Orthodox Church defined them - of which anti-gay is just the most obvious (to us in the states).
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The group Pussy Riot, now incarcerated for two plus years, was thrown in jail for "insulting the Church".  Think of that as a test case, if you will.  Would the world object?  Well, it didn't, did it.  I mean everyone bellyached a little, but we didn't stop buying Russian gas or oil or anything - so no harm done.
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Outlawing homosexuality is just the next step.  These laws against insulting the church, and jailing homosexuals are the same types of laws prevalent in many strict Islamic societies as well.  Without the cult of communism or the cult of Putin, he has to wrap his power in something, and he is using the cult of Nationalism.  The price for Nationalism in Russia is fidelity to the Russian Orthodox Church.  The Communists knew this and outlawed the church because it was a competing center of authority.
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The law isn't intended as anti-gay, in reality.  It is intended to keep less popular man in power.  And Ken Mehlman, gay architect of George Bush's 2004 re-election, has more to do with this naked power grab than anyone.  He and Karl Rove wrote the anti-gay playbook.  Just another wonderful thing we have Ken Mehlman to thank for.
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As for protesting this Russian law, not drinking Stoli, boycotting the Olympics...  This all plays into Putin and the Russian Powers' hands.  They are standing up to the evil and degenerate west.  That is why they can't get individual lawmakers to shut up about it.  Trust me, the Sochi Olympics are meant to be Putin's display to the world.  He wants nothing to screw it up - and has probably given his word they won't harass gay skaters (figure or speed) in 2014.
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But, as party leaders always learn, you can't control local politicians when the message gets rolling.  Local politician's see how well it is playing for Putin and jump on the bandwagon, loudly.  In this case the anti-gay bandwagon.  So really, like I said, this has almost nothing to do with gays and everything to do with keeping rather corrupt officials in power.