"Hey duuuuude, once again, it is not mandatory to join the AMA to fly, only to fly at an AMA chartered field!"

I am under the impression that it is illegal to fly most any place other than at designated airfields. On this, I just don't know the laws (mostly because I really don't care- I'll fly anyway).
If we can fly anywhere, where will that increase the relavance of the AMA for me? I only considered joining mandatory because the local club makes it so. I thought that was pretty much the only place the FAA would let me fly. I fully intend to fly anywhere I want, at least until the cops kick me out. But I was under the impression that to remain legal, I would get stuck flying at a designated R/C airpark.
If I can fly legally at other locations, then the AMA is absolutely useless to me beyond thier political lobbying for bandwidth.
Now that's me. Your mileage may vary. But the vast majority of folks in the hobby are not die-hards, they do not log hundreds of hours a year flying, they are not impressed with museums and airfields that they will only ever see in the self-promoting magazine. Most do not have huge, fast planes that will demolish whatever they hit or easily get out of control in the first place, requiring high insurance assessments and hence, premiums. Most aren't in it to make the world hold hands and fly planes.
Most don't have the money to invest in the stock market- but the AMA had no problem losing their money for them on it.
If you want the hobby promoted, don't lay it on me to do, tell the AMA to spend money on advertising and events to draw in new people, rather than playing Wall Street Tycoon wannabe. Or building itself castles in Muncie.