I regret to inform you...

that things must get much worse before they ever get better. It pains me to say it, but I'm afraid it's true. I will explain.

A scotoma is a blind spot surrounded by a field of normal or relatively unimpaired vision.

People can go through their whole lives never noticing certain things. I will give you an example. You might not notice how much writers use the verb to be, for instance. You have probably never been bothered by the verb to be. We use it all the time. "This is that..." or "They are like this..." or "We were like that..." This verb is everywhere, and it is annoying. See what I mean? Do you realize how many other verbs we have to choose from in English? But even I will admit, using the verb to be takes less effort than figuring out what verb actually describes the action in a sentence, and structuring the sentence accordingly.

Now that I told you this, you may notice the verb to be everywhere. That is what happens when you clear up a scotoma. The scales suddenly drop from your eyes, and you may find reality a little disappointing. Yet, the verb to be has always been there, draining the life from the English language in plain view of everyone, but for whatever reason it never bothers most people. And it will continue to be there, even if you suddenly start to notice it. Well, so what? This is not a life or death situation, right? It's just the subtle degradation of the English language. But what if you have other scotomas? What if you don't even know you have them? What if they do mean the difference between life or death for other people? What if they mean the difference between life or death for you?

I will tell you a truth. Some people will have certain scotomas cleared when they see strangers being killed. Others will wait until they see their compatriots being killed. The very stubborn ones wait until their loved ones die. Some cling to their scotomas unto death.

I will tell you another truth. Some people want you to have scotomas. Some people will go way out of their way to ensure that certain scotomas remain in place at all times. If your empathy for other people doesn't kick in to clear them, the scotomas will remain in place as the danger to your compatriots increases. The longer you cling, the more people die; until finally, your turn arrives. Or perhaps your child's turn. Or your mother's.

Will you then forgive yourself for clinging to lies? Will you forgive those who told you lies? Or will you turn in bloodthirsty revenge toward those who caused your agony?

I won't waste this elaborate set up on politically correct bullshit. Either you can see what is going on in Israel or you cannot. If you cannot, I regret to inform you that you have a deadly scotoma. I probably cannot help you, no matter what I or anyone else writes. No matter the qualifications. No matter the facts. You will have to learn the hard way.

What commentary could adequately address such madness? Simply to see it is to know what it is. And if you cannot already see it for what it plainly is -- when the bare, unaccomodated facts shout this evil from the lower depths to the highest heavens -- what amount of commentary will sway you?

There are none so blind as those who refuse to see, and we have a country full of them, their deadly scotomas lovingly nurtured to mutant, death-defying size, blotting out everything in the field of vision as the danger moves closer and closer. Blotting out everything, right up until the very moment the scotomas go supernova, blinding us with rage.