Originally posted by J_R
Marc
For two days I have been trying to put this into words. I am going to cross post it a couple of places and it is my last attempt to make you, and everyone else understand what the AMA is and what it is not. Please consider it carefully.
If the AMA is not an insurance company, what is it?
The AMA is a non-profit, fraternal, service organization. It's guiding principle is: "Of, By, and For the Model Airplane Enthusiast".
It would appear that many do not understand what that means.
It means that the AMA is not chasing money as a primary function. Most businesses have the primary goal of making a profit. It means that the
organization is for a group of people with a common interest, a fraternal group. It provides services. Simply put, that means that you can not see
"things" that it does for you. You can not taste insurance. You can not touch the privilege of using a frequency. You can not smell the rules (well
maybe in some cases you can 
). You can not hear the chartering of a club. Many of you are not even aware of the services that the AMA is constantly providing for you.
What you have joined is more closely akin to the Moose Lodge than Mutual of Omaha. We do, what we do, for each other, and for the good of our modeling community. The actual purposes of the AMA are set forth in Article II of the AMA bylaws. NOT mentioned in those purposes is insurance.
One of the services provided by the AMA is insurance. It is only one service. It also happens to have become the financial engine that drives
AMA. If what you wanted was to join an insurance company, you made a mistake. If your only question is "what is in it For me?", you missed the guiding principle of the AMA. Just as many Moose are surprised what is expected of them, after they join, many of you did not understand what you got into.
As a member, it is part of your responsibility to give OF yourself to others in the organization. The entire organization is run BY modelers. They give their time freely.
The "things" that the AMA owns are all to provide services for the membership. The HQ building, the Museum, the National Flying Site, and the
IMS show are examples. All provide service, nothing tangible. If you are looking to get "things" your looking in the wrong place.
If your outlook is "what can the organization do for me?", you are not going to be happy. If you are willing to share of yourself and give to the membership of yourself, you may find a great deal of pleasure in it.
JR
Marc,
The above is the reason that among informed members (I assume people here are informed) the second biggest choice in that poll was STILL highlight people and events in the district!
While your ideas might be good for another organization, this is a fraternal organization and that means PEOPLE. People like to be stroked. Putting their names and pictures in MA is a big stroke. Getting their names and pictures to the DVP cannot happen unless he is there.
NONE of the events anywhere need an AMA DVP. He adds nothing to the quality, integrity, or value of the event. His presence gives those who are prone to fawning the opportunity to fawn and those who prefer to complain someone to complain to. That is why folks complain when he does not come around. There are a few who want to discuss issues, but most DVP trips probably don't spend more than 30 minutes on issues.
That is why *I* don't want to run for the job. The voters have already said they wanted in several different venues, and I still choose my family and hobby. If I were to run it would irritate my kids, wife, and modeling friends because I would not be able to play with any of them as much as I do now. Not only that, but it would become a one term deal because I wouldn't stroke enough folks. I am not sure how good that is for me, my family, my friends, or the organization.
Now if we were talking of a non fraternal organization, that is a different ball of wax. Check into NASCAR and how it is organized for an alternative approach to the sport. I am NOT saying that is a good model, but the AMA is a terrible model for a non-fraternal organization. Doing the non profit thing is not that difficult, most of the criteria is met by volunteers in public schools trying to infect, er recruit students.