It's not exactly news that Hugh Hefner, the perpetually robed Playboy founder who died Wednesday at the age of 91, is a polarizing figure. For decades Americans have disagreed about whether he should be remembered as a great liberator of Americans from their sexual puritanism or as a sexist exploiter of women. On Thursday, columnist Robin Abcarian came down strongly on the latter side, writing that although we shouldn't forget Hefner's support for smart journalism, reproductive rights and civil liberties, we should also not lose sight of the fact that his core business was the objectification of women -- mostly women under 30 -- and the exalting of exclusively male fantasies. Before Abcarian's column was published, the letters on Hefner's death reflected the typical mix of opinions we get after most notable celebrity passings: Several mentioned the existence of strong polarization over Hefner's work without taking a side, others reflected dispassionately on his work, and a few recounted their own experiences with Hefner. It was only in response to Abcarian's column that more readers started expressing stronger opinions on Hefner's work itself.