Please Stop Packing Your Guns in Your Carry-On at Bush Intercontinental Airport

Not that we needed any further proof that Texans love guns, but here it is anyway, courtesy of the TSA.

As of last week, the TSA had discovered a record-breaking 1,855 firearms in carry-on bags at airports across the nation, and two of the top five airports for those discoveries were -- surprise-- in Texas, including Bush Intercontinental Airport.

Here are the country's top five airports for gun-slingers:

Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW) - 104
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL) - 90
Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX) - 66
Houston George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) - 62
Denver International (DEN) - 61

But that's not all. Of those 1,855 firearm discoveries, 1,471 -- or a whopping 79 percent of them -- were loaded, according to the TSA. Come on, guys.

There are two months left in 2014, and yet the total number of firearms has already surpassed the 2013 total by 42 guns.

So, there are an inordinate amount of loaded guns being stowed in carried luggage. We're not sure why one would need a gun at the damn airport, but should you feel it necessary to travel with ol' Bessie (or whatever nicknames guns are given), there are options.

Like, say, your checked baggage, if you follow these rules:

• Travelers must declare all firearms to the airline during the ticket counter check-in process.
• The firearm must be unloaded.
• The firearm must be in a hard-sided container.
• The container must be locked. A locked container is defined as one that completely secures the firearm from being accessed. Locked cases that can be pulled open with little effort are not permitted.

So put your gun in a hard-sided container, in your checked luggage, with a lock, should you for some reason feel it necessary to schlep it to the airport.

But for the love of all that is holy, please stop putting them in your carry-ons, especially at Bush Intercontinental and DFW Airport. Texas has enough of a rep as it is.