Tootie was outraged by the Mardi Gras Indians' violence, which was disrespecting the culture their ancestors had died for. Many nights after Carnival, Tootie would come home in a battered suit, covered in blood and bruises from the night's events. Tootie spoke out against Indian gang violence and turned to music and dance as a way to express competitive showmanship. In the words of Tootie's widow, Joyce Montana, Tootie was the first to say, “stop fighting with your guns, and begin fighting with your suits and minds".