Well I read this thread and albeit a little old I am putting in my 2 cents worth. I have been in the industry as producer of DVDs ( not anymore) and been flying RC junk for 25 plus years along with full scale and part 107 too. Been in and been out of membership with the AMA. And now I will be perm out of it because I am just tired of the politics within the upper echelon. Go look up what it takes to actually run for VP or even President of the AMA. You can run for President of the United States easier. I don't think they are helping anyone except themselves.
So I live rural and have 5 acres which is next to another 5 acres and I am putting in my own runway. I don't fly at any RC clubs in my area because they are all A holes and clicky. I for one will not put up with having some so called expert in a club analyze my flying to see if I need further instruction to fly with them. Things like this. Also attitudes about drones are horrible and its almost like I need to start a Drone Lives Matter group.
Bottom line is I am going private (pretty much have been for a long time) and if I invite some friends over to fly at my nice site I really don't care if they have AMA or not. I have never heard anyone getting a insurance check from AMA insurance anyhow. I don't need it I don't want it. Sounds like I am miffed yup I am but its a long time coming. It just comes down to are you going to sit around a whine about it and take it? Or man up and do something about it. I choose the later. And for all your AMA backers that are saying oh what if someone gets killed or injured at my property? IF you do something stupid and hurt yourself you pay, if you hurt someone else you pay too. If you don't have money you get sued no difference if you have AMA insurance or not believe me there is none. I bet where there was so called claims with the AMA which I would love to see, there are the same amount of claims and law suits to go right up against. So I will take my chances and enjoy not paying the AMA what is it 78 bucks a year for a crappy magazine that never tells you if something is a POS or not. Heck and maybe I might even have some fun flys here with people that can actually pull there heads out of there butts and be friendly, normal and know how to enjoy a hobby.