Do you realize the real message?

I've always loved this song, mostly because of the piano. Recently I noticed though that the message of the song is not what most people think of when they hear the song.  When you listen to the song you hear him say "That's just the way it is" but in reality he is trying to tell you that "they" say that.  Notice after he says, "That's just the way it is, some things will never change" he goes on to say, "but don't you believe them."  In the song he is telling a story in which a certain kind of person is saying "That's just the way it is."  He doesn't agree, and that is what the song is about.  His stance is that the little boy should be able to go where he wants to go regardless of how he looks (race).  

Bruce Hornsby
The Way It Is

Narration:  Standing in line marking time
Waiting for the welfare dime
Cause they can't buy a job

A man in a silk suit hurries by
As he catches the poor old ladies' eyes
Just for fun he says "get a job"

"They" That's just the way it is
Some things will never change
That's just the way it is
"Him" Ah - but don't you believe them

Narration: They say hey little boy you can't go
Where the others go
'cause you don't look like they do
Him: Said hey old man how can you stand
To think that way
Did you really think about it
Before you made the rules
He said, son

That's just the way it is
Some things will never change
That's just the way it is
Ah - but don't you believe them

Well they passed a law in '64
To give those who ain't got a little more
But it only goes so far
Because the law don't change in another's mind
When all it sees is the hiring time
Is the line on the color bar

That's just the way it is
Some things will never change
That's just the way it is
That's just the way it is ,it is ,it is,it is