From Enemies to Allies: Mark Rosenberg and Jay Dickey's Unlikely Friendship
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
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
Follow us on social media!
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheUncomfyPod/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/uncomfy.podcast/
Tik Tok - https://www.tiktok.com/@theuncomfypodcast
Threads - https://www.threads.net/@uncomfy.podcast
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
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