What happens when two people on opposite sides of a heated debate come together? Mark Rosenberg, a gun violence research advocate and former CDC official, and the late Congressman Jay Dickey, a staunch NRA supporter, were once bitter enemies. Their clash over the Dickey Amendment, which halted federal funding for gun violence research, seemed insurmountable. Yet, through a series of candid conversations and shared personal experiences, they discovered common ground and mutual respect.

This Uncomfy conversation was adapted from a recent episode we did on gun violence over on our other podcast, Top of Mind with Julie Rose, which you can check out here: https://www.byuradio.org/2ca1d0ad-385b-45f8-91ec-a88a2474c347/top-of-mind-with-julie-rose-what-a-surprising-friendship-can-teach-us-about-gun-violence-in-america

Related Links

Rosenberg/Dickey op-ed 2012 - https://web.archive.org/web/20120801190312/https:/www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/we-wont-know-the-cause-of-gun-violence-until-we-look-for-it/2012/07/27/gJQAPfenEX_print.html

Rosenberg/Dickey op-ed 2015 - https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/time-for-collaboration-on-gun-research/2015/12/25/f989cd1a-a819-11e5-bff5-905b92f5f94b_story.html

1993 CDC-funded study that prompted the Dickey Amendment - https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199310073291506

Episode transcript: https://uncomfypodcastbyu.blogspot.com/2025/05/from-enemies-to-allies-mark-rosenberg.html

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CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

00:51 Meet Mark Rosenberg

01:24 The Feud with Congressman Jay Dickey

02:53 An Unexpected Meeting

04:40 Building an Unlikely Friendship

10:38 Lessons Learned and Shared

16:08 A Call for Unity and Hope

17:53 Conclusion and Further Listening