Waad Nakad, 21, of Livonia, took her oath of citizenship in August, but she doesn’t feel any more American because of it. She’s been in the US since age one, when her family came from Syria in 1988.

Shadi Hajal, 35, of Canton, shows off his newfound American spirit after taking the oath of citizenship and registering to vote on Sept. 26. An Obama supporter, Hajal said he’s sent emails to the campaign suggesting they focus on George W. Bush’s past plans to privatize social security, and what effect recent severe stock market instability would have had on people’s money had the plans gone through.

Twenty years later, her family was finally able to complete the naturalization process, and now she’s getting ready to vote for the first time.
“It’s cool because everywhere I go, people are saying this election is going to go down in history,” she said. “No matter who wins, it’s going to be historic.”

Nakad registered through a friend who works for the campaign of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, who she plans on voting for.

“To be 100 percent honest, I just really don’t like McCain. he’s 90 percent Bush. I think we need change,” she said.

A marketing student at Wayne State University, Nakad worries about tuition costs, and hopes Obama can help bring about relief.

She plans on taking her mother, Lina Nakad, 49, who also just became a citizen and registered to vote but is less politically aware, to the polls with her.

Fadi Nader, 27, of Canton, is a more recent immigrant, also from Syria, and is even more excited to vote.

The Madonna University computer science student came to the U.S. in 2000 and became a citizen last year.

He said he desperately wanted to vote against George W. Bush in 2004, but couldn’t yet.

The last time Nader voted in any election, it was for Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, who always gets nearly 100 percent of the vote, in 2000.

“It’s one of our rights,” he said. “We have to make a change.”

“He’s going to pull the army out of Iraq,” he said about Obama as his choice for president. “He’s going to make health insurance affordable for everybody. He’s going to help us out.”

As for the independent candidate who shares his last name, “Nobody knows the guy,” Nader said about consumer advocate Ralph Nader.

Fadi Nader said he also plans to vote “Yes” on Proposal 1, for legalization of medical marijuana use, because “It’s good for medical treatment and it helps a lot of sick people. It doesn’t have to be legal in the streets.”

On Proposal 2, for legalization of expanded of stem cell research, Nader said he’s undecided because “We have to respect religions in this country and we have to go with the flow.”

Omar Alameddin, 23, of Dearborn, another newly minted U.S. citizen, also plans to support Obama at the polls.

“Change is important. I’m looking forward to improving things. We should all vote. It’s our duty,” he said.

Alameddin became a citizen two months ago and registered to vote the same day when he came across someone on campus at Henry Ford Community College helping people register.

Health care, jobs and expansion of financial aid are his main issues.

“People can’t afford to learn,” he said about his concerns for the cost of higher education.

He said he would also vote for 19th District Court Judge Mark Somers, after sitting in on some of his cases as a part of a class.

Alameddin said it bothers him when the subject of race is brought up in discussions about the presidential candidates.

“We’re supposed to be more civilized than that,” he said.

Whether or not his candidates get into office, Alameddin said he’s proud to take part in the process.

“Win or lose, at least I gave my vote.”