What, by virtue of the almighty cure?

When you look at the mage duities that exist, that are PURELY RDM duties. What you are left with are Haste, Refresh, and a handful of spells only available through meriting. WHM WILL have Addle, BLM DOES have Break. Currently Scholar brings far more utility tools to the table, and will have the inclusion of Haste in the final level cap rise, subbing our job.

So that leaves chainspell stun, which isn't even a valid tactic in most endgame content anymore.

So yes, the question is presented: Why Red Mage? That's just a valid question for the Back Line as it is the Front.

And honestly, how many people have hung up the hat and leveled other jobs during this time, because of the exact problems I've listed above? The job needs further definition. SE's answer to that, may not be what some of the previous base wants.

That was the grand total of my post, which you only skimmed.