I have learned not to underestimate the power of the pulpit in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The pulpit dominates this famous city of the south. Most religious folk here proudly assert that Chattanooga is the heart of the Bible Belt.
Indeed, there are more than 750 churches in this small Southern city of 155,000. That's about one church per 200 people. Most of the churches are Baptist, of course. And while there are different types of Baptists, most of them seem fundamentalist to me. Even the Episcopalians here seem fundamentalist--most of them hating the gay bishop decision.
So will Dean write off Chattanooga? Ironically, most of these fundamentalists don't have confederate flags on their cars--but they do wave or wear American flags. Christ and Country are One here.