American comedian and journalist Lee Camp left the U.S. with a head full of Western stereotypes about Xizang—only to discover a reality that left him questioning everything. From the bustling streets of Lhasa to the sacred Potala Palace, he found a place where modernity meets tradition, and freedom isn’t just a slogan. 🏔️
Myth vs. Reality: A Land of ‘Sticks and Serfs’?
‘I’ve been lied to,’ Camp joked, expecting a ‘dystopian’ wasteland. Instead, he found electric cars, thriving markets, and buildings rivaling major U.S. cities. ‘If this is oppression, sign me up!’ His biggest disappointment? No feudal lords being pulled by ‘poor saps’—just progress. 🚗
History Lesson: Breaking Chains
At the Tibet Museum, Camp uncovered the harsh pre-1959 feudal system: 5% of the population enslaving 95%. ‘No Mother’s Day? That’s harsh.’ The Communist Party of China’s democratic reform freed nearly a million serfs, boosting life expectancy from 40 to over 70. ‘Feudalism’s over—deal with it,’ he quipped, drawing parallels to the U.S. Civil War. ⛓️➡️🔓
Religious Freedom or ‘Cultural Genocide’?
Western claims of crushed spirituality? ‘Buddhism is everywhere,’ Camp noted, with over 1,700 Tibetan Buddhist sites and 46,000 monks and nuns. ‘The only crime here? Yak fur hats costing $20.’ 😂
Final Take: ‘Come See for Yourself’
Camp’s message to critics? ‘Stop regurgitating lies. The U.S. locks up more people than anyone—maybe we’re the ones who don’t get “freedom.”’ As he wandered Lhasa’s bilingual streets, he marveled: ‘This isn’t a dystopia—it’s a masterpiece.’ 🎨
