Yes, a beauty pageant ignited Islamic rioting that has killed an estimated 200 people in Nigeria. Rather than inspiring admiration and appreciation (check out Chris Monks' meditation on beauty contests here), some of the most beautiful women in the world inspired a maniacal mob to bloodlust.

Is there some sort of perverse link between sex and violence for these people, or is this just another radical Muslim temper tantrum? You may recall the one that killed 3000 people back in September of 2001.

According to this thinking, women should be as plain, if not outright ugly, as possible. Keep them down - deny them their allure to the point of virtually denying their physical existence. There is liberation in such oppression: up is down and green is purple.

Most importantly, whatever your view may be - the Amish don't go much for ostentation either - feel so certain and superior in your view that you are willing to kill those who disagree for no other reason other than that they do disagree, this is the Islamist way.

Miss USA tells Brad Hunter of the NY Post of her Nigerian experience:

A shaken Miss USA revealed last night that she and her fellow Miss World beauty queens feared they'd be butchered in the bloody religious riots ravaging Nigeria.

"We were terrified. Some of the girls just quit and went home," statuesque stunner Rebekah Revels told The Post. "My roommate, Miss England, was really frightened and just wanted to get out of the country."

Initially, pageant contestants believed they were safe and enjoyed the hospitality of their Nigerian hosts, but soon a climate of fear and dread engulfed the flesh-fest.

From the safety of her London hotel room, Revels said contestants in the controversial event became increasingly rattled as the body count mounted.

"Sitting in our hotel rooms, you could just sense the fear and disbelief," Revels said. "It seemed crazy, insane that it was a beauty pageant that started it all."

Since the pageant triggered the mob's bloodlust, Revels said frightened contestants sensed they were the next targets in the rampage.

Finally - as rioting threatened the capital of Abuja - organizers chartered a plane and flew the contestants out of harm's way. They landed at London's Gatwick Airport yesterday, and the pageant will take place Dec. 7.