I would like to use a static query that pulls out data using a `LIKE` operator which includes `null` values. For example, for the following data:

```
================================
|   ID   |   CategoryName__c   |
================================
|   01   |   "category one"    |
|   02   |   "category two"    |
|   03   |   "category two"    |
|   04   |       (null)        |
================================

```

I would like to be able to, in a single SOQL static query, pull out all four record regardless of their value. For example:

```
[SELCT ID, Name FROM ExampleTable__c WHERE CategoryName__c LIKE :magic] 

```

Where `magic` is some string. I have tried different variations of `%` for this magic value, but it does not pick up `null` values. The purpose of this is to be able to filter on one category, or not filter on any (depending upon the user input).

I could have an `if statement` and two SOQL statements, but it would be so much nicer to just have one statement. 

If I were not being restricted to static queries, I would solve my problem easily like this:

```
String sqlStatement = 'SELCT ID, Name FROM ExampleTable__c ';
if(singleCategoryOnly){
    sqlStatement += 'CategoryName__c LIKE ' + userSelectedCategory;
}
//execute statement....

```