A possible smoking ban in the city of New Orleans, which would mandate that businesses, bars and some public areas weed out smokers, is getting a ton of support from Democrats these days, including Louisiana Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Carter Peterson (D-New Orleans).

The smoking ban, which is before the New Orleans City Council next week, has been pushed by Democrat councilwomen Latoya Cantrell and Susan Guidry. Both Cantrell and Guidry claim it is their duty to keep the public safe from second-hand smoke.

And now, Peterson is coming out to support the Democrat-led ban, which resembles ordinances in cities like New York and Atlantic City.

At a town-hall meeting in New Orleans a couple days ago, Peterson showed up to publicly back the smoking ban. Here’s what the Gambit reported Peterson told the City Council:

“I’m hopeful that next Thursday you get the support you need to make New Orleans and its citizens healthier,” she said. “This ordinance is a critical instrument in fighting for healthier air for all of us.”

To say we are surprised that Peterson is backing the smoking ban would be a lie. By majority, Democrats love these kinds of laws. They love to tell individuals and businesses what is “safe” and “good for the public,” rather than individuals and businesses deciding those factors for themselves.

But, what is interesting about Peterson’s support is that she showed up to a City Council meeting to talk about smoking in public places, hardly something that is “critical” to the public’s safety in a crime-ridden city like New Orleans.

Peterson, from our research, has yet to comment on Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s decision to fight crime in the Big Easy by creating and spending millions on an unarmed patrol unit, in order to supposedly shore up New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers for violent crime scenarios.

While Peterson is concerned about “healthier air,” public figures like Sidney Torres, the trash-man rockstar, are concerned about fighting violent crime. Torres has fleshed out a full-on campaign and revolt against Landrieu, demanding that he devise a plan to keep citizens safe.

What does it say about New Orleans Democrats when their top priorities include making sure bars no longer have smokers in them, instead of keeping the streets of the city safe?