It’s a free country, you can use whatever words you’d like. I can’t, however, prevent you from getting negative feedback for your choices.
Yeah, I’ve always thought that Bugsy and Mugsy were thugs.
And I assume the same applies to someone who dresses/acts in a certain manner. 
Do we have to discuss the c-word again? 
Sorry, but this whole thing is just dumb. Just because a asshole politician or a racist use a term with negative connotations to describe a minority, that doesn’t make the term itself racist. Anything can be used in a racist context. Watermelon and Fired Chicken are used in a racist context, but that doesn’t mean we need to start being careful how we use those terms.
“Thug” is an intentionally loaded and inflammatory term. It’s invoked to trigger a reaction, and some people do use it as a coded word to avoid saying the N word, but that does not make this the new N-word. Similarly “gang-banger” is not a racist term (nor a misogynistic term, but that’s a different thread!), in spite of the fact that discussion of gangs is typically adjacent to discussion of minorities.
If that were the only time a Black male was called a thug, then it wouldn’t be a problematic word. But that’s not the case. And because it is used to describe Black males who are not engaging in “thuggish” behavior, its use in what you think are appropriate situations still will raise questions.
You’re obviously welcome to explain to people why some particular Black male is really a thug and you aren’t more likely to use that term based on race, but you should be prepared for people to not believe your good intentions.
Some of my best friends are thugs.
That just isn’t how language works. You can proclaim from the rooftops that you aren’t using a word in a racist fashion, but if the word has racists connotations in people’s minds, your protests will mean little.
We’re not talking about a few asshole politicians or racists, we’re talking about a very large number of people who use “thug” with racist undertones. And many of them do it without realizing they are more likely to apply the term to Black men.
How do you think the N-word became racist?
You just contradicted yourself. Intent matters. If they are using the term “without realizing” what they are doing that’s pretty ironclad evidence the term is fine. No one ever used the N word in an accidentally racist fashion.
This whole thing is a pointless slippery slope into more cancel culture cancer.
Not because people started using it instead of a more racist term.
I enthusiastically ate racist marmalade as a kid. I innocently collected the little enamel golliwogs.
robertsons golliwog marmalade - Google Search
Does my lack of intent mean that it was all fine?
My lack of intent means that as a 5-year-old I wasn’t personally being consciously and deliberately racist, of course. But it doesn’t mean the golliwog was fine. Nor does it mean nobody could have been harmed by my actions.
A number of my Black friends use the word as a designation for the violent, criminal element in their society. Much like the “N” word, it really can’t be used by whites without it having racial overtones.
I disagree, although there may be some sensitivity to it in some quarters. To me, a thug has always been someone who bullies others or acts criminally towards others, regardless of race. I never heard it associated with blacks until the advent of rap music, but then I don’t claim to be au currant in every latest tut-tutting.
What should be the acceptable alternative to thug?
No such thing can apparently exist. Because once you change terms, and there continue to be minorities who fit the moniker, it will automatically become racist once used. Hence the absurdity of this discussion.
So a white person cannot call the white invaders of the capitol thugs? Would ANYONE think I’m using the word b/c I can’t call them n___?
I’m willing to accept that I oughtn’t describe hoodie wearing people of color who are minding their own business thugs. But like others suggest, context and intent ought to matter.
I was going to suggest ruffian, but I did not want to offend the memory of a great horse. (Hell - such usage would probably be misogynist as well!)
Person of violence?
“Asshole”, I’m guessing.
You can use whatever words you want. You keep asking and asking, but the answer will always be the same.